Float
by Spiziri
Summary: The end of the summer is rapidly approaching for our heroes, but Sally has one last adventure for Percy and Annabeth in Australia.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: Hello, everyone! This is my first new story I've had in a while. This idea has been bouncing around in my head and I decided to finally write it out. I know this is a very overused plot, but I was unhappy with the ones that I saw so I decided to make my own. This chapter is incredibly short, but more will be uploaded shortly.**

 **Note: This is post-Blood of Olympus. However, to avoid spoilers for those of you who haven't read it, I will not mention the events in the Blood of Olympus (also partly due to my unhappiness with that book in general). So let's just pretend that everything after the Mark of Athena worked out perfectly and everyone lived and everyone is happy with all the same things that they had in the Mark of Athena. In this story, there may be mentions of the war in general, but no details for now. I may include the other five, plus Nico and Thalia and Reyna and all them, but that's up in the air for now.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading! Enjoy!**

* * *

"She probably has the blue dinner ready for us on the table." Percy said to Annabeth as they approached the apartment door. Annabeth giggled to herself while Percy turned the knob and pushed open the door.

He expected to see his mom setting the table with Paul. Instead, Sally Jackson was running around in such a focus that she didn't even notice Percy and Annabeth's entrance.

"Mom?" Percy called. Sally did not even look up. Percy looked at Annabeth, but then turned back to Sally, who was rushing between rooms. "Mom!"

"What?" Sally snapped from her focus and whipped her head towards Percy. At first she was startled, but her warm smile returned to her face. "Oh, welcome home. And hello, Annabeth!"

"Hi, Mrs. Jackson."

"Listen, Percy." Sally said quickly before either teenager could say more. "I think its time for a vacation."

"A vacation? To where?"

"Australia!"

"Australia?! Why of all places-"

"We have to go visit family."

"Dad's palace-"

"I have family on my side too, Percy." Sally reminded. Percy couldn't help but chuckle.

"Right..."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Seaweed Brain..." She muttered.

"You remember your Aunt Lisa, don't you?" Sally asked. "You know, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Neil! Emma, your cousin! And Elliot too!"

"So we're going to see them? Right now?" Percy arched an eyebrow.

"Yes!"

"Why? We haven't seen them in years."

"That's exactly the reason! We haven't seen them in years! Things were always happening, not to mention the world needing saving, thanks to you two. But I want to take this chance now! Before I lose you again! I want us all to go and celebrate my sister's birthday!"

"Mom, you aren't going to lose me again..." Percy quickly assured. Sally's eyes saddened, despite her kind smile. She turned towards Annabeth.

"And Annabeth, you must come with us too. Emma is your age and I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

Annabeth flinched, surprised to be invited on a family holiday like this.

"Oh, I don't want to impose-"

"You're not! Now we have to pack quickly. As soon as Paul gets here, we have to get going."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm sorry, guys. I can't hang out today." Emma informed Cleo and Rikki the moment they stepped through her front door.

"Now what would make you think that we wanted to hang out with you today?" Rikki asked. Emma rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing today?" Cleo asked, ignoring Rikki's remarks.

"I have family coming in from New York. My aunt and cousin are going to be staying with us for a while. We have to go pick them up."

"So?"

"So I haven't seen them in years. My parents are really excited. Apparently my aunt got married." Emma answered, annoyed with Rikki's insensitivity.

"Well that must be nice then! You get to see them!" Cleo pointed out.

"I just hope my cousin doesn't ask for a swim race..." Emma announced. "We used to race a lot when we were kids, when he would visit, and I would always beat him."

"But you're a mermaid!" Cleo protested.

"No. She's a werewolf. Haven't you seen what happens to her on a full moon?" Rikki joked.

"I don't have time for games, Rikki. We're going now. Maybe I can go to Mako tonight while they recover from lag. I'll text you the details." Emma explained. Cleo and Rikki shook their heads.

"No way. We're going with you." Cleo insisted.

And so after gathering a few things, Emma and her family, plus Cleo and Rikki, drove down to the shipyard. Emma wasn't too thrilled in general-in fact she was feeling nothing but dread-so she wasn't very talkative to Cleo, Rikki, or her family.

"Who takes a ship from New York to Gold Coast?" Rikki asked skeptically. She, dragged herself behind Emma, Cleo, and Emma's family as they walked in the docks full of ships. "I mean, is this even possible?"

"It sounds like a long trip." Cleo added.

"My grandparents on my mother's side passed away in a plane crash." Emma explained. "My aunt will never fly now. And my mum is a bit of a nervous wreck when she has to go on one."

"Oh, I think I see Sally!" Emma's mom, Lisa, squealed, increasing her pace. "And that must be her new husband! And little Percy! But not so little anymore…"

Emma rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong, Emma? Do you not like your cousin?" Cleo questioned.

"It's been so long since I last saw him. He used to get on my nerves a lot when we were little. He was just so... _messy_." Emma winced at the memories she shared with Percy. She sighed.

"Oh, no. What will we ever do with a messy boy?" Rikki mocked a terrified expression. Emma scowled.

"Don't worry, Emma. I understand how cousins can be." Cleo assured. "I doubt your cousin will put a pelican in your bathroom, though."

"Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried something like that. He's really not...bright."

"C'mon, Annabeth. You gotta admit, that was awesome." Percy said as he walked with Annabeth, Sally, and Paul down the concrete docks, all of them carrying a suitcase.

"I got seasick, Percy. Like how Hazel is." Annabeth grumbled.

"You know, I think you're just jealous that your dad isn't the sea god."

"Yeah, yeah, Seaweed Brain."

"Sally!" An Australian accented voice called.

"Lisa!" Sally returned, breaking into a run. She ran into the arms of Lisa, the two women laughing and hugging happily. The two families eventually caught up at a much slower pace. Immediately, Neil and Paul introduced themselves and shook hands. When Lisa and Sally broke away, Lisa met Paul and gave a quick hug while Sally reunited with Neil. And all while this was going on, Emma, Cleo, Rikki, Elliott, Percy, and Annabeth hung back. Cleo looked behind her, finding the edge of the dock with water lapping up against the wall.

"It's been ages!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Things just kept coming up. I could never get out here…" Sally said.

"No, no! I could never get myself out there! I've been so busy with work and so has Neil and Emma was going from competition to competition-"

"Emma!" Sally rushed over to where Emma stood with Cleo and Rikki. Sally threw her arms around Emma, squeezing her tightly. Emma winced at the tight hug, but nonetheless returned it.

"It's nice to see you again, Aunt Sally." Emma politely spoke. Sally released Emma, but placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders.

"You're all grown up! I can't believe it! And Elliot!" Sally spun around to the small boy and also gave him a quick hug. "You were a toddler when I saw you last!"

"You're my mum's sister, aren't you? Aunt Sally?" Elliot asked. Sally nodded. She looked at all the faces surrounding her, before spotting the two fresh ones standing near the edge.

"These are my friends." Emma stepped forward. "Cleo and Rikki. They came to help with all the suitcases."

"Oh, how sweet!"

"Well, actually-"

"Shhh!" Cleo cut Rikki off from a snide remark. Rikki smirked a little to herself.

"And you remember Percy, right?" Sally pulled him by the arm forward to the girls.

"Of course. How could I forget the tantrums he threw after every race he lost?" Emma teased. Annabeth chuckled.

"Which, were in fact, rare instances." Percy shot back.

"Oh, good! Nothing's changed!" Sally injected cheerfully. "And this is Percy's girlfriend, Annabeth."

"Nice to meet you, Annabeth. I'm Emma." Emma extended a hand, which Annabeth shook politely.

"Likewise, Emma."

"Well, no use chitchatting around all this fish." Lisa chimed up. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki whipped their heads to her the instant the words left her mouth. "Let's head home, shall we?"

As the group began to move, feet and suitcases shuffled. Rikki stood firmly with her arms crossed, refusing to carry anything. Rikki stepped back to avoid everything, actually. Unfortunately, she stepped back onto nothing, and her whole body tumbled back into the water with a splash.

"Rikki, can you…" Emma trailed off when she realized Rikki was no where to be found. Emma turned to look at Cleo, who shrugged in response to the silent question. Emma slipped over to the edge of the dock and peered into the ocean only to spot an orange fish tail disappearing under the surface. Emma scowled at the sight and returned to the group.

"I heard you used to race my sister?" Elliot asked Percy as the group walked.

"Yeah. When we were little." Percy replied.

"Are you going to race her again?" Elliot asked.

"I hope so. I have gotten faster." Percy wiggled his eyebrows at Annabeth, who rolled her eyes.

"Emma's super fast. And so is Rikki. She saved my life because of it!"

"Where is Rikki, by the way? Wasn't she just with us?" Annabeth interrupted. Emma and Cleo quickly exchanged looks.

"She just had to go to the bathroom." Cleo answered. "She couldn't hold it." Percy snorted. Annabeth nudged him in the ribs, but the expression on her face wasn't too convinced about the story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author: By the way, this takes place mid-season 2 of H2O! This is partly due to my dissatisfaction with season 3 of it, so there will be no Bella. Perhaps maybe in the future, but very unlikely. Some chapters may loosely follow the plot of some of the episodes, but I have yet to decide which ones, if any at all.**

 **Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think!**

* * *

"Your house is lovely." Annabeth complimented upon entering the modern villa. Her eyes scanned the entire home, taking everything in and analyzing the sleek style.

"Thank you, Annabeth!" Lisa gushed. "We only have one guestroom, so Sally and Paul can sleep there. But we have set up air mattresses for Annabeth and Percy. Girls with girls, and boys with boys. Annabeth, you can stay in Emma's room. And Percy, you can stay with Elliot."

"Cool! I'll show you my room! C'mon!" Elliot had taken Percy's suitcase for him and already started bounding up the stairs. Percy chuckled, gave Annabeth a quick peck on the cheek, before following after the boy.

"I'll show you where my room is." Emma offered as she began to step up the staircase. A smile tugged on Annabeth's lips when she followed her. "Would you like me to carry your bag? It looks heavy."

"No, thanks. I got it." Annabeth assured with a wave of her hand. She followed Emma silently up the stairs. Emma wasn't particularly thrilled about having to share her room with her cousin's girlfriend, but was nonetheless going to be treating her with proper respect, even if she was silent most of the time.

"So, you swim?" Annabeth asked, breaking the silence and Emma's train of thought. Emma stopped immediately and turned back to face her.

"What?"

Annabeth was not prepared for such a sudden reaction from Emma. Emma's body had stiffened, so Annabeth must have touched on a sensitive subject for her.

"I'm sorry. I just heard that you were a competitive swimmer." Annabeth explained.

"Oh, don't apologize." Emma quickly gave Annabeth a reassuring smile and relaxed her body. She mentally scolded herself for jumping on the gun when Annabeth only said three words to her. "I used to. But I don't anymore."

Emma opened the door to her bedroom where an inflated air mattress was situated neatly on the floor near the bed. Annabeth was cautious to enter the bedroom, not wanting to be rude or anything of the sort. But she couldn't help but scan her surroundings, taking in how neatly everything was organized and put into place.

"Why'd you stop competitions? It looks like you have won a lot of trophies." Annabeth murmured as her gaze locked on the shelf decorated completely with medals and trophies.

"I just lost interest." Emma replied.

"Do you still like to swim? Percy was really looking forward to racing you."

"I'm afraid he'll be disappointed. I don't swim at all anymore. Besides, he was awful before. I find it hard to believe that he's improved over the years." Emma joked.

"I'd _love_ to hear your stories of him." Annabeth said.

"And I'd like to hear yours as well. I haven't talked to him since we were eleven." Emma agreed. She studied Annabeth as Annabeth began to set her suitcase down against the wall. Annabeth moved slower up the stairs and there were dark circles under her eyes. It was obvious with the way that she moved and struggled with things that she was exhausted.

"But maybe we can just save that for later." Emma added. "You need to recover and adjust to the time difference."

"Well, if you don't mind if I put my feet up a little…"

"Please, take all the time you need." Emma walked over to her windows and closed the blinds. "You can rest up here. I'm sure Percy already crashed in Elliot's room, but if you need him, he's down the hall. And the bathroom's down there too. If you are ever hungry, there's plenty of food in the kitchen so just help yourself. My mum makes the best homemade yogurt."

"Sounds great. Thank you so much, Emma. And for you kind hospitality. This is rather...sudden." Annabeth said.

"It's okay. I'm glad you and Percy came. I've really missed everyone." Emma admitted. "Unfortunately I can't stay right now, I have to head off to work."

"Oh, where do you work?"

"Its just a smoothie place called the JuiceNet Cafe. I'll be sure to take you and Aunt Sally and everyone there tonight. It's one of my favorite places."

"I can't wait then." Annabeth and Emma exchanged smiles briefly before Annabeth began to settle herself in the air mattress.


	4. Chapter 4

"Thanks for all of your help, guys." Rikki grumbled while sitting at the counter of the JuiceNet Cafe. Cleo sat beside Rikki while Emma stood behind the counter in front of them, handing them each a glass of freshly mixed juice.

"It wasn't our fault, Rikki." Cleo protested.

"You were the one who fell in so carelessly. You're lucky no one paid attention. Didn't you think someone could see you?" Emma scolded. Rikki rolled her eyes.

"Well maybe if we didn't stand so close to the edge of the dock, I wouldn't have fallen in."

"How could have you fallen in anyway? Didn't you know where we were standing?" Cleo asked.

"How was I supposed to know?"

"I don't know, maybe actually turn around and look behind you?" Emma suggested icily.

"Your family was crowding around me! I had no choice but to step back!" Rikki whined.

"Your aunt seems very nice, Emma." Cleo quickly changed the subject. "And your cousin doesn't seem all the bad either."

"Yeah. You didn't tell us how hot he was." Rikki wiggled her eyebrows at Emma. Emma's frustrated expression immediately twisted into disgust.

"Are you serious? It's Percy! He's not attractive at all!"

"No, he is. I love his eyes." Cleo let out a pleasant sigh of daydreaming in thought of Percy. "It's a shame he has a girlfriend."

"Who brings their girlfriend on a family trip anyway?" Rikki pointed out. Emma shrugged.

"I don't know why she came. Percy's never mentioned her before. I thought all girls who weren't blood related to him stood in a fifty meter radius around him." Emma explained. Rikki and Cleo giggled.

"I can see why they couldn't stay away, though. He's _so_ handsome." Cleo giggled to herself again.

"Who's handsome?" A fourth voice cut in from behind Cleo and Rikki. Cleo and Rikki swung their chairs around to face Lewis, who stood carrying fishing supplies.

"Emma's cousin. He's so hot." Rikki answered brightly.

"Cousin? You never mentioned a cousin before, Emma." Lewis reminded.

"That's because he lives in New York with my mum's sister." Emma said. "But don't worry. You're not missing out on much."

"What do you have against Percy? Did he used to take your animal crackers?" Rikki joked. Emma glared.

"He did, in fact. He's like having an annoying brother. He's messy and he stole my animal crackers, and he always wanted to roughhouse. He was always running around and not even caring about other people's feelings." Emma complained.

"He seems different now. He seems like a really nice guy." Cleo protested.

"I think, um, I should maybe be the, uh, judge of that." Lewis chimed in. "I wanna meet this Percy."

"He and his girlfriend are resting now and adjusting to the time difference." Emma informed.

"Oh? He has a girlfriend?"

"Unfortunately."

"Rikki, you have a boyfriend. Please stop hitting on my cousin." Emma grumbled.

"I'm not hitting on anyone, Emma. Can't I admire another human being's beauty?" Rikki joked. Emma sighed.

"You're-you're not...hitting...on him, are you, Cleo?" Lewis stammered.

"Is it a problem if I am?" Cleo countered, narrowing her brown eyes at him. Lewis shifted uncomfortably.

"No! No, no...no problem here. I was just...curious, is all." Lewis said.

"Good thing it's not a problem then. I might just flirt with Percy and have some fun."

"Cleo!" Emma squeaked.

"Hey, you." A redheaded teenage girl walked up to the group and immediately linked her arm with Lewis's. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki frowned.

"Hey, Charlotte." The trio muttered.

"Ready to go fishing?" Charlotte asked Lewis.

"Oh, yeah! Yeah! I'm ready. You're ready, right?"

"Of course, Lewis." Charlotte giggled playfully. "I'm always ready."

"I'll see around sometime guys. And remember, I want to meet this Percy guy and see how great he really is." Lewis insisted, prompting Cleo and Rikki to laugh and roll their eyes. Lewis and Charlotte turned away and pushed through the beaded doorways outside.

"Hey, if Lewis and Percy had to fight it out in a ring, who do you think would win?" Rikki asked.

"Oh, definitely Percy! Lewis isn't really that strong, and Percy looks so strong." Cleo answered.

"Guys! Can we _please_ stop talking about Percy now?" Emma hissed.

"Who's Percy?" A voice asked. Emma closed her eyes in frustration before slowly turning around to face her boss, Ash.

"Percy's...no one." Emma answered.

"He's her boyfriend." Rikki chimed in.

"What!? No he's not!"

"B-boyfriend!?" Ash choked out, raising his eyebrows. Emma glared at Rikki, who returned the look with a grin.

"Ash, Percy is not my boyfriend. He's my cousin." Emma quickly assured.

"You've never mentioned a Percy before." Ash pointed out.

"That's because he lives in New York. I haven't seen him since we were eleven."

"He'll be staying at Emma's for quite a while, actually." Rikki added.

"And he's _staying with you_? Aren't there plenty of hotels around here?" Ash grumbled, unconvinced by Emma's story. Emma scowled.

"Ash, he's my _cousin_. He and my aunt are just trying to save some money is all. They only have American currency." Emma explained.

"Well, then. I guess that's that." Ash was unsure of what to say next. "Can you wipe down tables outside?"

"Of course. Anything for you." Emma muttered sarcastically. She shot an irritated look at Cleo and Rikki before storming off. Ash walked away from the counter, disappearing through the doors to the back. Cleo and Rikki both looked at each other and then burst into giggles.

"We shouldn't do that to Emma. She really likes Ash." Cleo pointed out.

"All the more fun it makes it!"

"Well what if I told Zane?"

"And what exactly are you going to tell him?" Rikki's playful demeanor was starting to falter.

"Just tell him that you have the hots for Emma's cousin." Cleo innocently twirled a strand of her hair.

"You'll only make him mad."

"Isn't that what you're trying to accomplish with Ash and Lewis?"

"Well, yeah, but it's funny to see them get jealous. It means that they have feelings. Lewis obviously still has feelings for you, and Ash has feelings for Emma."

"Ash and Emma are actually dating each other, Rikki. Lewis is dating Charlotte now."

"For now." Rikki winked at the frowning Cleo.


	5. Chapter 5

Percy let out a loud, exhausted yawn as he made his way downstairs, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Annabeth followed sleepily behind him, wearing sweat shorts and a tank top. Both of them were sporting bedheads.

"Hey, you two are finally up." Lisa greeted when the teenagers stumbled into the kitchen. Lisa stood behind the counter stirring a white yogurt while Sally sat fully dressed across from her. She smiled at the sight of Percy and Annabeth, whose eyes were struggling to adjust to the sunlight that filled the kitchen through open windows.

"Are you feeling better?" Sally asked.

"Yeah. We're just still a little tired." Annabeth answered. Percy yawned again.

"We're going to head out shopping. Feel free to help yourself, if you're hungry. I just made some of my famous homemade yogurt." Lisa offered.

"Thanks, Aunt Lisa."

"Well, we best be off, shall we?" Lisa and Sally both grabbed their purses and waved goodbye to the two teenagers. Once they left, Percy walked over to the bowl of yogurt and started to dish up two bowls.

"Do you just want to hang out here today?" Percy asked Annabeth as he handed her a bowl and spoon. Annabeth shrugged in response.

"Emma told me about this one place. The JuiceNet Cafe. It's where she works, she said." Annabeth suggested, taking a bite of her yogurt.

"We could go head up and see her then."

"Do you know where it's at?"

"Well, no…" Percy admitted, taking a spoonful of yogurt. Annabeth giggled. "I'm sorry my mom dragged you on this trip."

"Why are you apologizing? It's nice to have a vacation after all the saving the world we did."

"Yeah, but it's boring. I wish everyone else could have come along. If only Leo could just fly the Argo II here with everyone on it."

"Well that _is_ technically, an option." Annabeth agreed. "But your mom seems so happy to see her family again. And it's really not that boring. Emma seems nice and has nice friends."

"Emma is so boring. And bossy too! Like, everything has to be so perfectly neat and in order for her. It was so annoying." Percy grumbled.

"It seemed like you two had fun together when you were kids."

"That had to be, like, six years ago when I last saw her."

"Is that because you started going to camp instead?"

"Yeah, I guess so. And Smelly Gabe was never into travelling, so it wasn't a regular thing to see Emma and Aunt Lisa."

Annabeth paused, letting the silence settle as she and Percy ate the homemade yogurt. Annabeth could already tell that Emma was a reliable and trustworthy person. She didn't get a chance to get to know Cleo much, but she did seem like a really sweet girl, albeit a little naive. And as for Rikki, well, Annabeth didn't know what to make of Rikki. She disappeared so suddenly.

"So, do you think Rikki left to go to the bathroom this morning?" Annabeth asked aloud.

"Who?"

"Emma's friend. The blonde one."

Percy shrugged. "Probably really had to go."

"But did you even _see_ her leave?"

"No. We were hugging. Remember?"

"But I don't understand why she would leave so suddenly."

"I honestly don't see such a big deal about it, Annabeth. I mean, it's not like they're monsters in disguise."

"Speaking of monsters," Annabeth said. "Don't you think we would have attracted some by now?"

"Well, they probably are all scared off because they know we kicked Gaea's butt and everything." Percy suggested. Annabeth frowned, unconvinced of Percy's reasoning, but didn't argue.

"I think you're overthinking this whole situation." Percy continued. "We're on vacation. Nothing's out to get us."

"I guess I'm just not used to being on vacation…" Annabeth admitted. "There's always something to ruin it."

"Not this time. I'll make sure of it." Percy assured with a cheeky grin and wink.

* * *

"Emma is _always_ here." Elliot announced to Percy and Annabeth as he lead the two teenagers to the JuiceNet Cafe later that afternoon.

They pushed through the beads that hung in the door frame. Rikki and Cleo sat at the counter, Cleo drinking a juice and Rikki was watching a bunch of boys play pool. Emma was cleaning behind the counter.

"Emma!" Percy waved and flashed a cocky grin. Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled in Emma's direction. Emma looked up from what she was cleaning and masked her scowl with a forced smile.

"Great. He's here." Emma groaned.

"Look on the bright side, Emma," Cleo spoke up. "We still have Mako. He can't follow us there."

"Well don't give him any ideas. He's stupid enough to go exploring."

"You work here?" Percy asked Emma once he got to the counter with Annabeth and Elliot.

"Practically lives here." Elliot teased.

"Elliot." Emma grumbled. Elliot flashed a smile before running off to go talk to his friends.

Noticing Emma's irritated look, Percy chuckled.

"Brothers."

However, only Percy was really laughing. Emma furrowed her brows.

"What are you talking about? You're an only child." Emma asked. Annabeth internally groaned at Percy's stupidity. Percy's eyes immediately widened, realizing that Emma didn't know about his cyclops brother.

"I have brothers." Annabeth quickly chimed in. "And Percy's practically family so he can understand sometimes how they can be."

"And Elliot is like a little brother to me too, so I _really_ understand you." Percy added. It sounded so unrealistic, Emma wasn't convinced. But she didn't argue. She had forgotten how stupid Percy can be.

"My shift is over. How about I make us all couple of juices and we go sit over there?" Emma suggested. "Do you mind showing them, Cleo?"

"Not at all. C'mon, we can sit over here." Cleo motioned for Percy and Annabeth to follow. She took Rikki by the hand and dragged her over to a booth. As they walked, Percy pressed a kiss against Annabeth's temple.

"Thanks for saving me back there." He murmured with a sheepish chuckle. Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Seaweed Brain."

Percy and Annabeth slid into one side of the booth, Cleo and Rikki across from them, all waiting for Emma.

"So...You're Emma's friends?" Percy questioned. Cleo and Rikki nodded.

"She's our best friend." Cleo replied. A silence settled awkwardly between the teenagers. Cleo fidgeted a little before speaking again.

"Do you like it here in the Gold Coast?"

"It's really beautiful." Annabeth answered. "It's nice to be in such warm weather."

"And I'm really looking forward to swimming in the ocean. The beaches look awesome." Percy added. Rikki and Cleo didn't respond, avoiding Percy and Annabeth's gazes.

"So you two are dating." Rikki suddenly said. "How'd that happen?"

"I met Annabeth at a summer camp when we were twelve."

"You two started dating when you were twelve?" Cleo asked, raising her eyebrows. Annabeth and Percy both snorted.

"No way. He always got on my nerves." Annabeth replied.

"Hey!"

"We didn't start until we were sixteen." Annabeth continued, ignoring Percy.

Just then, Emma walked over to the group with casual clothes on and carrying a tray of drinks. She placed the tray on the table and slid beside Rikki and Cleo.

"I got you guys drinks I thought you'd like." Emma announced, passing cups around.

"Thank you." Annabeth smiled as she accepted the juice.

"Thanks, Em." Percy took a sip. Emma narrowed her eyes.

"Don't call me that."

"Only Ash is allowed to." Rikki teased. Percy nearly choked on his drink.

"Who's Ash?"

"Emma's boyfriend." Rikki answered. Emma rolled her eyes.

"He's not my boyfriend...well, not entirely. I mean, we've gone out but it's no big deal."

"I want to meet him and make sure he's good enough for you." Percy announced. Emma groaned.

"You're not my brother, Percy."

"That's right, I'm not! But Elliot's too young. Someone's gotta look out for you, so I might as well be an older brother." Percy explained with a grin.

"We're the same age, Percy."

"Emma, you always kill the fun." Percy complained. Emma narrowed her eyes at him as she struggled to keep her irritation under control.

"Speaking of fun," Annabeth injected to keep Emma and Percy from bickering. "Are there any attractions around here?"

"There's the Marine Park." Cleo suggested. "I work there so I can let you guys in with a discount and everything. There's lots to do, like dolphin shows and roller coasters."

"And like Percy mentioned, there's plenty of beaches to hang out." Rikki added.

"That reminds me!" Percy said. "I want a rematch, Emma."

"I don't race anymore."

Percy nearly choked on his drink.

"You're joking."

"I'm not."

"C'mon, Em!" Percy whined. "We used to race all the time!"

"And that wasn't enough for you?"

"I've gotten better! I was so sure that this time I'll be able to win for once!"

"Percy, I don't swim competitively anymore." Emma stated firmly.

"But you used to do it all the time. You loved to swim." Percy protested.

"Well," Emma tried to find a better excuse. "I don't anymore."

"Not even one race? With me?"

"I don't swim at all Percy."

"This is so unlike you, Emma."

"It's been five years. People change. We both grew up. I'm never swimming again, so can we please just drop it now?"

* * *

"Did you even know that Emma had a cousin?" Lewis asked Charlotte as they walked barefoot on the beach carrying fishing supplies.

"No. I don't know her as well as you do, Lewis." Charlotte said, looking disinterested in the subject.

"Do you think he'd be attractive?" Lewis asked. "I mean, attractive to girls like Cleo."

"Why don't you just ask Cleo?" Charlotte muttered in an icy tone. Lewis scanned the area, deep in thought, before he spotted Zane a little ways away from the pair.

"Hey, there's Zane! I'll go ask him. I'll catch you later, Charlotte!" Lewis jogged towards the other boy. Charlotte let out an annoyed huff before turning around and walking in the other direction.

"Hey, Zane! Zane!" Zane stopped and turned around.

"What's up, Lewis?"

"Did you know that Emma has a cousin?" Lewis asked.

"People tend to have relatives, Lewis." Zane said sarcastically.

"Apparently Emma's is attractive. At least, Cleo seems to think so."

"What? Are you getting jealous?"

"What? No! No! I'm with Charlotte. I'm just trying to look out for Cleo's wellbeing. We've never even heard about the guy before. He could be dangerous." Lewis said. Zane snorted.

"Sounds like you're jealous, mate."

"It's not just Cleo, Zane. Rikki seems attracted to him too." Zane's boyish grin faltered, stopping in the sand to face Lewis.

"Rikki?"

"Yes! She seemed more interested than Cleo, to be honest. But either way, I don't like it. They're not letting me meet the guy." Lewis explained.

"But we should." Zane said. "We should go meet this guy. He can't be all that great, especially if he's related to _Emma_."

"What if we took him to the Marine Park?" Lewis suggested. "Like you invite Rikki to go on a date and Emma can come with her cousin and Cleo. So we can see what this guy is really like."

"Sounds like a plan. After all, we have to make sure who this guy really is."


	6. Chapter 6

"Emma Giiiiillllbert!" Rikki called, merrily walking into the front foyer of Emma's house, Cleo trailing behind. It was the following day.

"Percy, I swear to God, if you ask one more time-"

"It's not like I'm asking a lot from you, Em!"

Cleo and Rikki looked around, searching for the source of the bickering. They spotted Annabeth sitting on the living room couch, reading a magazine quietly.

"They're upstairs." Annabeth informed.

"Have they been fighting a lot?" Cleo asked. Annabeth nodded.

"Yup. All night. They fight just like siblings."

"About having a swimming race?"

"No. They argued over many other things. Last night Percy was mad that Emma used up all the hot water. He claims he's never taken a colder shower."

Rikki and Cleo exchanged looks. Rikki smiled with amusement, but Cleo was more worried.

"My boyfriend invited us to the marine park." Rikki announced. "Do you, Emma, and Percy wanna go?"

"There's lots of rides. And marine animal shows, like dolphins and seals." Cleo added.

"Sure. It'll give those two a chance to cool off." Annabeth set aside her magazine and rose. Just then, Emma walked down the stairs with Percy following.

"Hey guys." Emma huffed, annoyance from earlier still lingering in her tone.

"Marine park. In or out?" Rikki asked.

"Definitely in." Percy replied with a grin.

"I'm in." Emma said.

* * *

"Zane!" Rikki noticed her boyfriend standing at the entrance of the marine park, waiting patiently. Rikki quickly walked ahead of the group to join him, immediately slipping her hand into his with a girlish smile. They exchanged greetings and by then the rest of the group caught up.

"This is my cousin-"

"Percy." Percy introduced, sticking his hand out for Zane to shake. Zane accepted and shook his hand.

"Zane." Zane returned. He gave Percy a once-over, wondering what Rikki and Cleo saw in the guy. He wasn't any taller than Zane, maybe an inch or two shorter.

"I'm Annabeth." Annabeth introduced, politely shaking hands with Zane.

"Nice to meet you, Annabeth." Zane muttered politely. The group headed into the marine park. But almost immediately did they find Lewis, casually waiting for them near the entrance.

"Oh, hey, guys!" Lewis said nonchalantly.

"Lewis, what are you doing here?" Cleo asked.

"Just...just getting some fresh air. And looking for a job too. Gotta make money, right?" Lewis lied. Annabeth and Percy exchanged unconvinced looks. "So, who's this? Are you going to introduce me?"

Emma sighed, exhausted with all the introductions.

"Percy and Annabeth. Guys, this is Lewis."

"Maybe you two should just wear name tags." Rikki snickered.

"Like the one's that say 'Hi, my name is Percy.'" Percy added.

"And write right under it, 'Emma Gilbert's cousin.'" Rikki said, the two both laughing. The sound of people screaming caught Annabeth's attention, whipping her head towards the source. A rollercoaster roared and raced away nearby, proving to be the source of the screams with no indication of any present danger.

"Do you guys want to go on one of the water rollercoasters?" Annabeth asked the group.

"Yes! Can we go, Emma?" Percy asked her. Emma didn't respond, only averted her eyes and pursed her lips.

"That sounds like a swell idea." Zane agreed.

"Zane." Rikki nudged him.

"Yeah, I want to." Lewis chimed in. Cleo stiffened and folded her arms. Emma, Rikki, and Cleo exchanged nervous glances.

"You guys go on without us." Cleo suggested.

"We'll hang out here." Emma said.

"Aw, c'mon. Why?" Percy asked.

"Not our kind of thing." Rikki answered.

"Well what even _is_ your thing?" Percy asked.

"Just go on without us. We don't want to ruin the fun for you guys. We'll wait right here and everything." Emma insisted.

"Are you sure? We can do something else if you'd like." Annabeth offered. The girls shook their head.

"Positive. Go have fun. People love those coasters."

The group walked to the entrance to the rollercoaster before parting ways. Emma, Rikki, and Cleo moved to stand on the sidelines rather unhappily with their situation, while Zane, Lewis, Percy, and Annabeth went on. Percy wanted a front row seat, but Zane sat next to him instead of Annabeth. Annabeth sat beside Lewis a little further back.

"They're going to want to go swimming soon too." Emma grumbled.

"We can just hang out on the beach. We don't actually have to go in the water." Cleo pointed out.

"Percy...he plays rough. He's going to try to get me into the water, I'm positive. He's going to splash me or something since he's got the maturity of a five year old." Emma said.

"He can't splash you if you're far away enough from the water. I'm sure it'll be okay. You love the beach. And you'll be able to get some sun." Cleo added.

"I need to go for a swim." Emma murmured.

"Let's head up to Mako later." Rikki said. Emma shook her head.

"I can't get away. I have to stay with them this whole time. My mom wants me to, especially since she hasn't seen them in years."

"How long are they staying?" Cleo asked. Emma paused, thinking for a moment.

"I'm not sure." Emma replied. "I was never told. I should have asked before, but I'll do that later. Hopefully they'll be gone by the end of the week."

For a moment, no one said anything. They watched the cars roll onto the rails as the ride began, temporarily focusing on that.

"I hope they'll get along with Zane and Lewis." Cleo murmured.

"So, Percy," Zane said to him as the car slowly eased up the steep incline. "You're from America, right?"

"Yeah. New York." He answered.

"And Emma's your cousin?"

"Yup."

"How so?"

"Her mom is my mom's sister."

"So how many girls have you been with?"

Percy's eyes widened in surprise, completely thrown off by the sudden question.

"What kind of question is that?" He demanded.

"I'm just curious is all. You know, guy to guy." Zane assured casually.

"Just one. Annabeth."

"Not just dating, though. Have you fooled around with anyone?"

"No!"

"Zane's pretty easy to get along with." Rikki assured Cleo. Cleo and Emma snorted. Rikki looked offended by their disbelief, but couldn't help but crack a smile. "Okay, but he's not going to bother with Percy and Annabeth."

"I'm going to go check the dolphin shows and see Ronnie real quick, okay?" Cleo announced. Emma and Rikki nodded their heads and agreed with her.

Moments later, Cleo was off and the others rejoined Emma and Rikki. It was after all an aquatic rollercoaster, so everyone was wet. Zane, being in front row, was drenched, but Percy seemed perfectly dry. Nonetheless, Emma and Rikki stood ten feet away from them.

"Have fun?" Emma asked.

"It was so much fun." Percy was grinning like a five year old. He eyed Zane with a little dislike, but he wasn't going to let Zane ruin the fun for him. "Can we go to the dolphin show next? Please?"

Percy looked at Annabeth with puppy dog eyes. In response, Annabeth smiled, but rolled her grey eyes.

"I'm fine with that. But it's not me you should be asking." Annabeth looked at Emma. Percy turned his puppy dog begging look onto Emma, who scowled.

"Yeah, sure, fine. It's not going to start for a while now, though." Emma said. Percy grinned.

"Is there any place for us to get some towels?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah, there should be some over here. I can take you guys over." Lewis offered.

"I'll be right back. Go entertain yourself with a seal." Annabeth whispered to Percy as she followed Lewis with Zane.

"Rikki, go with them. Make sure Zane behaves." Emma ordered. Rikki looked offended.

"Excuse you, I'm not a babysitter." Rikki protested.

"Neither am I but look at what I have to deal with." Emma grumbled, eyeing Percy.

"Lucky you." Rikki grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at Emma before heading off to catch up with the trio.

Emma and Percy started walking aimlessly around while waiting for their friends to go dry off from the ride.

"How come you didn't get wet?" Emma asked, startling Percy. Percy couldn't hide the look of panic on his face as he struggled to come up with a good excuse. Of course the only time Annabeth isn't here…

"I wore a poncho." Percy answered. He was quite satisfied with himself.

"There were ponchos? I didn't see you bring one. Or put one on. Or take one off. Or the others doing it."

"I had grabbed the last one. They only had so many you can borrow."

Emma rolled her eyes, finding it hard to believe. Even if it was true, she was irritated with his rudeness. The polite thing a guy should do is give the last poncho to his girlfriend, right?

* * *

"So, Annabeth, what do you like to do in your free time?" Lewis asked as he walked side by side with her.

"I like reading and doing research stuff. I'm really into studying science and architecture." She replied.

"Lame." Zane muttered, which Rikki giggled in agreement.

"Really? That's cool. I-I like science too. It's a hobby of mine. Do you like biology?"

* * *

"Alright, Ronnie. I'll give you one more, but that's it, okay? You'll get sick from all these snacks."

Cleo stood over Ronnie the dolphin on the dock, holding a bucket of small fish to feed him with.

Ronnie clicked at Cleo eagerly, opening his mouth for her to feed him. With a gloved hand, Cleo tossed a fish, landing right in his mouth. Ronnie happily ate the fish, as Cleo watched with a content smile.

"I gotta go now, Ronnie. Be a good boy, okay? I'll be back soon." Cleo turned on her heel and began to walk back off the dock.

Ronnie clicked and before Cleo could even get halfway, her body was splashed from behind.

Cleo yelped in surprise and dropped the bucket, throwing her hands up. Her eyes grew wide in panic as she looked around. There was no way she could make it back to the building and dry off. There wasn't anything to dry off with nearby. Time was running out. The seconds ticked by as Cleo frantically looked in every direction. No one was around, and in a panic, Cleo dove into the dolphin tank.

* * *

Emma and Percy had ended up sitting in an underground observatory to view the dolphin tank. They sat on a bench alone in the glow of the water, but there wasn't any dolphins swimming around to observe through the glass.

"Maybe we can hit the beach tomorrow!" Percy suggested. Emma didn't look too excited about the idea.

"Yeah, maybe. Maybe Elliot can go with you tomorrow."

"Ah, c'mon. Why won't you come? I won't make you go swimming or anything."

"I have to work." Emma lied.

"Then go right after."

"Maybe, Percy." Emma's tone was icy, indicating she wanted to stop talking about going to the beach. Percy sighed and a silence settled in between them.

"I find it hard to believe that you went on that ride and didn't get wet at all." Emma announced.

"I told you, Em. I wore a poncho." Percy protested.

"I told you not to call me Em, Percy."

"What's your problem anyway? Ever since I got here you've been so uptight about everything."

"I have not."

"You have so!"

"Just because I'm not as immature as you are, doesn't mean I'm uptight. I'm just being who I am. I've changed a lot since we were eleven." Emma murmured.

"Really? You seem like the same easy-going swimmer I've always known." Percy muttered sarcastically. Emma rolled her eyes.

"You don't understand."

"Did something happen?" Percy asked.

"Something life-changing." Emma replied. Percy stared out at the water, his goofy expression faltering.

"I know the feeling." Percy said. "You're not the only one who's changed."

"You seem like the same irritating cousin to me."

"Maybe. But I've been through...a lot these past couple years. So I know how you feel. And if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for you. We're family, after all."

Emma said nothing. Her heart was growing heavy. She didn't like lying to Percy, as much as he got on her nerves. She was touched by his sincerity and kind words.

"Likewise, I suppose." Emma said softly. "It's not like this is something that's going to last. You live in America, after all."

"Yeah, but I can probably visit more often. Or at least talk to you more often. Things have settled down by me now." Percy assured. Emma shrugged. "But listen, before I leave, I gotta meet this Ash. I have to see if he's good enough for you."

Emma snorted.

"Whatever, Percy."

Silence fell over them once more, both of them watching the blue water. But something came into view. Very distant, but Emma could recognize that orange blur anywhere. Emma glanced at Percy, who was staring out at the water. In seconds, Emma was at her feet, whipping herself to stand over Percy, blocking his view. Percy furrowed his brows in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"The dolphin show. We're going to be late. The others are probably looking for us. We better leave. Now." Emma didn't let Percy protest. Instead, she pulled him to his feet and pushed him back towards the stairs.

"Why are you suddenly in such a rush? We haven't been here that long." Percy pointed out.

"I hate keeping people waiting."

When the pair reached the outside, they immediately spotted Lewis, Annabeth, Zane, and Rikki, the first three of which were, for the most part, now dry. Rikki was able to hold hands with Zane, but that could have been due to a steam dry from her.

"Oh there you two are." Lewis said upon regrouping.

"Guys." Emma spoke, eyeing Lewis, Zane, and Rikki with a glare. "There's been a...a...development."

"What?" Annabeth asked.

"I need their help with something. Something happened. With the dolphin tank." Emma explained. Eventually, it hit Rikki, Lewis, and Zane, all at the same time. And it was reflected by the looks on their faces.

"The dolphin tank?" Lewis repeated. Emma nodded.

"Is there something wrong? Maybe I can help." Percy offered.

"No!" Emma, Rikki, Lewis, and Zane cried in unison, startling Percy and Annabeth.

"Are you sure? I'm really great with marine animals." Percy insisted.

"I'm positive, Percy." Emma's tone was icy.

"We don't need your help." Zane added in such a tone that attempted to make him seem superior and standing over Percy.

"Why don't you two go get us some seats for the show? And we'll catch up." Rikki suggested.

"We'll join you after we take care of this situation."

With that, Emma, Rikki, Lewis, and Zane rushed down an employees only section to the dolphin tank.

"Something's not right." Annabeth muttered.

"Do you think we should follow them?" Percy suggested. "We both know I can help."

"Yeah, but they might find out about us. About you. How would we be able to explain your powers?" Annabeth pointed out. "Besides, it's you, Seaweed Brain. You might make matters worse."

"Ah, shut up, Wise Girl." Percy pressed a kiss to her forehead and slipped his hand into hers. "But if they're not back in five minutes, I'm going looking for them."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author: And here it is! Chapter 7! Sorry this took like** ** _forever_** **to do. And sorry if this chapter isn't the greatest either. Kind of a filler, but I dunno what to call it because I personally feel like it does what I want it to do.**

 **Thank you, everyone, for leaving reviews! Honestly I get so excited when I see that I have one and it makes me so happy to receive such positive feedback! Thank you so much and please keep it up! It's really encouraging and much appreciated!**

 **I will take a moment to respond to a few of them right here:**

 **The Phoenix's Feather (aka Jay): Great idea! I will definitely keep this in mind. But I think there will be plenty of other opportunities for them to get caught! After all, Emma, Rikki, and Cleo have been hiding their secret for over a year now and kept it from their families, so I think they are smart and careful not to reveal anything to Percy and/or Annabeth. But, accidents ****_do_** **happen too.**

 **giraffesplaycello: Thank you! And you raise a fair point about Emma. I never really thought of her as holding a grudge. I guess she is, in a sense, but it's just more irritation and frustration. She never got along with Percy growing up and he annoyed her like he's her brother. It's more like "ugh great he's back someone pass the tylenol and now I have a ton of extra people in the house to not grow a tail in front of how the hell am i going to pull this off." It's also an awkward time for Emma because she's confused about her feelings for Ash and Charlotte is becoming a problem and Percy is arriving so unexpectedly and asking for races so she's just overwhelmed. Not to be an Emma apologist or to disregard your opinion. I think you make a fair point and a valid argument, but that was my line of thinking as I was writing this. **

**fall-out-potter: bow ties are the coolest, especially when paired with a fez. **

**PuppyLove15771: be careful with what you wish for**

* * *

"C'mon, guys, hurry! People could come any minute!" Emma urged. She was constantly looking over her shoulder. She and Rikki stood about a meter behind Zane and Lewis, both of whom were pulling Cleo out of the water. They had each grabbed an arm and planted themselves firmly to lift her up.

"This isn't...the easiest...thing to do..." Zane grunted. "No offense, but mermaids weigh _a ton_."

"I could help it if I could!" Cleo whined.

"How about I just evaporate the whole tank?" Rikki suggested.

"No! What about Ronnie?" Cleo protested.

"See? This is why I don't do the whole helping thing."

Finally, Zane and Lewis were able to pull Cleo's body onto the dock with so much momentum that their two bodies stumbled and tripped back, landing hard with their backs against the wood and prompting groans to escape from them.

"Rikki, go!" Emma commanded.

"Jeez, Percy was right. You are bossy." Emma rolled her eyes as Rikki knelt by Cleo and hovered her hands over her. It didn't take long for the dock to be covered in steam.

"Ow, that stings!"

"Do you want to get dried off?"

While Rikki dried Cleo off, Emma jogged down the private street connected to the main park street from which they came from. She was able to spot a Percy and Annabeth through a row of decorative bushes.

"That's it. Times up. I gotta go see if they're okay." Percy said to Annabeth.

"I'm sure they're fine, Percy."

"I just have to check. What if they're being attacked by monsters?"

Percy started walking down the employee's only private street towards the dolphin tank, Annabeth quickly following. Emma bit her lip and glanced around.

"Sorry, guys." Emma whispered and she raised her hand, palm open but together, straight, and steady. She concentrated her powers on the street Percy and Annabeth were walking on. Seconds later, the street became a sheet of ice beneath their feet. The pair immediately slipped and fell. Before they could scramble back to their feet, Emma made her escape.

"Ow!" Percy groaned, landing on his back and hitting his head against the ground.

"What the?" Annabeth pushed herself into an upright position.

"Did somebody spill a bucket of ice?" Percy asked.

"This definitely does not look like that. The whole street froze immediately." Annabeth observed. "In Australia, of all places. Something's going on around here."

"The others could be in trouble." Percy said. "We have to hurry."

"Agreed. Let's go."

Percy was able to use his demigod abilities to clear the ice away and allow himself and Annabeth to run down the street. Percy gripped Riptide in his hand and Annabeth drew her dagger. It's not like anybody could see the demigod weapons anyway, right?

The couple moved quickly, but cautiously and silently. They scanned the area and the sky. They listened for any strange noises that differed from the park commotion behind them. But as they walked forward, it only grew quieter.

"See anything?" Percy murmured.

"Everything looks fine to me." Annabeth answered. "What about the tank? Anything out of the ordinary in there?"

Percy paused.

"Nope. Just a dolphin swimming around. He seems perfectly fine and happy too. But maybe we can find him and as him if he saw anything." Percy suggested.

As Percy and Annabeth approached the dolphin dock, they spotted Emma and her friends gathered on it. Percy capped his pen and Annabeth hid her dagger in her bag.

"Percy!" Emma called, jogging up to him. Cleo, Rikki, Lewis, and Zane trailed behind. "What are you doing? This is authorized access only and you were asked to find us some seats for the dolphin show."

"Jeesh, are you capable but saying something other than a command? Like it's such a crime to not do as you say!" Percy complained.

"What he means to say is," Annabeth cut in. "We were worried about you guys. It sounded like a serious situation and you were gone for a while so we came to check up."

"It's under control." Emma assured, not breaking her cold glare with Percy's gaze.

"What was the problem?"

"We thought there was something wrong with Ronnie the dolphin, but it was a false alarm. He was just hungry." Emma answered without missing a beat.

Annabeth leaned forward and raised her hand to partially block her mouth.

"Oh, I get it. Percy's exactly the same way too." Annabeth teased, but didn't bother to lower her voice. Percy looked offended while Emma and Annabeth erupted into giggles. "So how bout a dolphin show?"

The group, aside from Percy and Annabeth, instantly relaxed like a weight was lifted off their shoulders. They were quick to agree to the dolphin show, and even Zane behaved well to avoid any suspicion.

Percy and Annabeth didn't drop their suspicions, however. They kept to themselves and an eye out for any danger that may occur. It was instinct at this point. But they also tried to relax enough to enjoy their vacation.

"I think we need to have a discussion." Emma whispered to Lewis when she took her seat beside him.

"Sure. Shoot."

"No. Not here or now. We all need to talk about this situation. Can you meet us at Mako tonight?"

"Sorry. No can do. Got a date tonight with Charlotte." Emma rolled her eyes. "Unless you'd like her to join us?" Emma scowled but Lewis smirked.

"You better watch it with her."

"Or what?" Lewis tested. Emma glared at him. "Look, I know you're freaked out about everything, but you can trust me. Cut me some slack. She doesn't know a thing, and that will never change."

"Emma! Emma! Emma!" Percy tugged on Emma's arm like a little, excited boy. "There's cotton candy! Can I get some?"

"You need to cut back on the sweets. You'll gain weight. If you ever want to beat me in a race, you'll have to stay in shape." Emma countered. Percy grinned stupidly at her.

"But how can I gain weight from something that disappears in my mouth?" Percy asked. "C'mon, Em! It's cotton candy. You gotta eat something when you go to a show. Please?"

"Fine. Go get it yourself."

"I don't have any Australian dollars!"

Emma internally groaned as she dug through her purse. She pulled out her wallet, opened it, and gave him the proper amount of money.

"You owe me." Emma muttered.

"Thanks, Em! I'll bring some back to share!" Percy called. He stopped to say something to Annabeth. She nodded and sat down next to Emma.

"I always feel like I need to apologize to him, but he's your cousin, so-"

"So I should be apologizing to you." Emma cut in. The girls smiled at each other. "Then again, you _chose_ to date him. He's family and not my choice. If I could choose my family, I'd trade him for you in all honesty."

Annabeth genuinely laughed.

"Thanks. You seem like a great sister. I really think Percy is lucky to have you for family." Annabeth said. "Honestly, I thought you would be like him. Crazy, rambunctious, and immature. But you're so responsible and mature and just, an overall good person. It's relieving to me to know he has someone like that for him."

"Well, I know he has ADHD and dyslexia, so he really can't help it. But thank you. You seem like a respectable girl, and you seem to make him really happy, so I'm glad he's in good hands back in New York."

Annabeth smiled. If Emma's mom wasn't Percy's aunt, she would have made a great daughter of Athena. Emma seemed cold and harsh at times, but Annabeth knew she was looking out for others. Emma has pride and confidence that Annabeth couldn't help but respect. She really would have made a great demigod.

"Zane, I'm telling you, I'm not into Percy. I was only joking around." Rikki said to him.

"I don't like him, Rikki. He's weird." He scoffed.

"I'm weird too."

"That's not what I meant. I love your weird. But he could be dangerous." Zane warned. Rikki snorted.

"Yeah, okay, Zane. Please save me, a damsel in distress, from the cruel and evil villain, Emma's cousin!" Rikki erupted into laughs. "You're worried about nothing! For one thing, I'm into you, not him. And second, what can he do that I can't handle? Have you forgotten who you're dating?"

"I don't trust him, Rikki, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Zane protested.

"What? Are you afraid he's going to capture me and experiment on me?" Rikki asked. "If that's the case, then I think you got one step ahead of him in that game."

Zane frowned and his face darkened.

"I don't like thinking about that. It was stupid and I hate myself for what I did." Zane said.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"I'm sorry I did that to you."

"Look," Rikki took Zane's hand and clasped her free hand over his. "I think it's best we both stop talking about it, 'kay? We're on a date! Kind of a lousy one with Emma and Lewis hanging around, but let's just move on and enjoy the here and now!" Rikki leaned in and pecked Zane on the cheek. "And then maybe later you and I can go somewhere more private."

Zane grinned.

"That's perfectly fine by me."

"Percy better hurry up. The show is about to start!" Cleo said.

Emma placed her chin in her hands that were propped up on her knees. She loved Percy because he's her cousin, but she's getting a headache. He's too nosy and already got too close to comfort for her. Right now, she just wished she had a few minutes of peace and quiet with him gone.

* * *

 **Author: honestly, I feel Like I'm making Emma into some kind of bad guy. She's not. She's flawed and one of her flaws is that she likes having things under control. She loves Percy, he's her cousin, and deep down it's nice to see her family in a long time, but he gets on her nerves like any brother does. They're like siblings and they will definitely bicker and pick on each other like ones. Percy hasn't seen Emma in a really long time, due to constantly saving the world, but now that there's peace and he sees her again, he's just really excited and getting all over her, which only annoys her.**

 **All I'm saying is, as I try not to be such an Emma apologist, is that don't think too badly of Emma. Well, you can think whatever you want, you're entitled to your own opinion, but everything has a reason. There's a method to the madness. Give Emma some time and she'll warm up, like she has always done in the show.**

 **As always, please review! I enjoy each and every one of them!**

 **-Spiz**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author: wow sudden motivation. 2 updates in a month has to be some kind of record for my turtle ass. But thanks for being patient with me everyone! It is much appreciated, as always.**

 **Some review responses:**

 **giraffesplaycello: Thank you! Wow that's really kind of you. I do try my best. But this little...debate, I guess? This thing we had was kind of fun. I love being challenged. Well, maybe not challenged, but I love reading everyone's different viewpoints, so please continue to submit your input if you'd like!**

 **TheOneandOnlyMe: this is a really good idea! I have the same line of thinking as you do. So who knows what will happen? The possibilities are endless! And thank you for waiting! It is much appreciated! Feel free to share ideas if you have any more because I love reading them!**

 **As always, keep reviewing! The reviews, the favorites, and follows are really motivating me to get through these chapters. I'm very grateful for all of them!**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **-Spiz**

* * *

Someone was screaming.

Emma opened her eyes. Her gaze was fuzzy and unfocused and everything was dark, but she could clearly hear someone screaming. She sat up and looked around until she spotted the source of the screaming.

Annabeth was lying on her air mattress. She twitched and screamed, all while still asleep.

Emma kicked herself off the bed and crouched over Annabeth. She took Annabeth by the shoulders and shook her.

"Annabeth! Annabeth!" Emma called. "Annabeth, wake up! Wake up!"

Annabeth's eyes flew open and she awoke with a start. She was breathless and drenched in sweat with her heart racing.

"Wha? What? Emma? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Annabeth demanded, sitting up.

"I'm fine. But are _you_ okay, Annabeth? You were screaming in your sleep. You were having a nightmare, weren't you?" Emma asked. Annabeth blinked and tried to catch her breath. Already she was forgetting her dreams, but she knew they were terrible and she knew they were about Tartarus.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, Emma. I'm sorry I woke you." Annabeth murmured sheepishly.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. You can't help what you dream. And that's all it was. It was just a bad dream. You're here and you're safe. There's nothing to be afraid of." Emma reassured, giving Annabeth a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "Do you want me to get you anything? Water? Percy?"

"No, don't get Percy. He'll freak out. It's nothing. I'm fine, Emma. Really. Please don't trouble yourself any more for me."

"Are you sure?"

Annabeth nodded and offered a small smile. "Positive."

"Please wake me if you need anything. I'd be happy to help in any way that I can."

"Thanks."

Emma climbed back into bed, but she didn't go to sleep. Instead, she watched Annabeth fall asleep. Emma couldn't bring herself to sleep. She couldn't help but wonder and think is Annabeth was going through something. Elliot used to have nightmares, but after talking about them and working out what was bothering him, they disappeared. But with Annabeth, Emma questioned whether or not it was any of her business.

* * *

"Jailbreak!" Rikki called as she entered in Emma's house that morning. Cleo trailed behind her with a cheerful face. Emma was standing in her kitchen, drinking water.

"Good morning, Emma." Cleo greeted brightly.

"Good morning. You two are up rather early." Emma remarked.

"We thought it would be hard for you to get away, so we thought maybe we could have some fun." Cleo explained. She raised her hand, curled her fingers, and started twisting it left and right. The water in Emma's bottle slowly rose into a pillar before her. Emma's eyes widened as she stiffened and leaned back.

"Cleo, stop! Don't mess around like this! It's too risky!" Emma protested. Cleo lowered her hand and the water instantly dropped back into the bottle. Rikki laughed.

"Sorry, Em..."

"Tense, are we? You need to loosen you up." Rikki said. "C'mon. Let's escape while they're still sleeping. Percy is asleep, right?"

"He'd sleep until noon if he could." Emma said, capping her water bottle and setting it aside.

"I'll be right back." Rikki walked upstairs.

"Rikki, no! Don't wake him!" Emma called.

"Relax, Em!"

Emma shot Cleo a confused expression, which Cleo returned with a shrug. A few seconds later, Rikki descended the stairs with a smile on her face. She walked past Emma and Cleo towards the door.

"Alright! Let's go!"

"Hold it." Emma clapped a hand on Rikki's shoulder to halt her. "What did you do?"

"Snuck a pic." Rikki answered, waving her cell phone before pulling away. "He was drooling, but still very cute." Emma's jaw dropped.

"Delete that! That's my cousin and you have a boyfriend, Rikki!"

"I just want something to remember him by." Rikki giggled. "Alright. I'll delete it. But you have to take a picture with him before he leaves."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. Whatever. Delete it." Rikki opened the phone and Emma watched her delete the picture with reluctance. Rikki sighed dramatically.

"C'mon. Lewis is going to meet us at Mako." Cleo urged before Emma could scold. "Last one to Mako is a rotten egg!"

Emma and Rikki locked gazes and both grinned mischievously.

The three ran to the ocean, laughing the entire way. They dove into the water in unison, and as soon as they transformed into mermaids, they went into super speed. Swimming faster than dolphins, the three mermaids pierced through the water like torpedoes. Bubbles from the rush of their speed blew across their bodies and into their faces, but they each wore a smile.

Emma was the first to surface in the moon pool of Mako Island, shortly followed by Rikki, and a moment later, Cleo arrived.

"I win again." Emma said with pride.

"Hardly." Rikki scoffed. "At least we beat Cleo."

"Hey! I'm not that slow." Cleo whined.

"Yeah, you kind of are." Rikki said apologetically. Cleo rolled her eyes. Emma and Rikki giggled to each other. Rikki pulled herself up out of the water to sit on the stone edge of the pool, but also keeping her tail in the water. Emma yawned.

"Tired, Em?" Cleo asked. Emma nodded.

"I didn't get much sleep last night." Emma admitted.

"How come? Up all night talking to Ash?" Rikki asked, wiggling her eyebrows. Emma rolled her eyes.

"I wish. Annabeth has been having nightmares."

"Sounds rough. Must be hard sharing a room with someone. Especially when you've never met her before." Rikki said.

"I'm sorry for her. I don't really mind sharing a room with her because Annabeth seems like a nice and smart girl. I just feel bad for her. There's nothing I can do about it. They seem terrifying." Emma explained.

"You make it seem like she's been to hell and back." Rikki muttered.

"She must have gone through something rough. I had tons of nightmares when my parents divorced." Cleo admitted. "And I even had some when I became a mermaid."

"So either Annabeth has divorced parents or is a mermaid. Or both." Rikki joked. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Annabeth definitely is not a mermaid. She might have problems at home. And maybe her parents are divorced. We don't know. We don't know anything, but it's really none of our business in the first place either."

"Let's just hope she's not going off the deep end." Rikki said. "Only we can do that. We can go as deep as any fish in the ocean!"

Just then, Lewis stumbled into the dormant volcano. He smiled brightly at the sight of his friends.

"Hello, ladies." He greeted cheerfully. He walked over to the edge of the pool, but stopped and looked down. "What's this?" He pointed to the ground, where there was something written in the sand. "Number of days since last incident? Twelve?"

"Whoops! Never changed that." Rikki leaned back and reached across the sand. She wiped the number twelve away and traced the number zero in its place. "I've been keeping track of the days we've gone without growing a tail in public by accident. I was trying to go for a whole month, but then Cleo had to go swimming with the dolphins yesterday."

"It was an accident! Ronnie was being playful and splashed me! I panicked!" Cleo protested.

"It's not like these incidents are our fault, but we gotta try doing better than we are. I really want to make it a month and keep the tail under control." Rikki explained.

"That's actually not the worst idea you've had." Emma admitted. "Maybe not the best method, but we should set goals for ourselves to achieve to control our powers."

"Thank you!"

"So what did you guys want to talk about?" Lewis kicked off his sandals and took a seat beside Rikki while sticking his feet in the water.

"My cousin Percy. And my aunt and uncle and Annabeth. None of them know about us being mermaids and it must stay that way." Emma said. Lewis nodded.

"I thought that was a given, but okay." Lewis responded. "He seemed like a decent guy at the marine park. A bit childish when it came to seeing the animals and riding the rides. He was really into that. He bought Annabeth a keychain too. Zane was mostly talking to him and giving him a hard time. I spent more time talking to Annabeth-"

"Ooooo." Rikki teased.

"Would you shut up?" Lewis shot Rikki a glare, who only chuckled. "Annabeth is nice and is really smart. She has her head on her shoulders. We had many insightful and intellectual conversations yesterday. She likes science, and various kinds of sciences too like biology and chemistry. But she seems really passionate about architecture more than anything. That's my analysis of those two, anyway."

"But Percy's a problem. Like Charlotte's a problem-"

"Charlotte is not a problem!" Lewis snapped at Cleo. "Let's keep this conversation civil and about Emma's cousin."

"Okay, look. Percy is nosey and gets in my face. He remembers that I was a swim champ and suddenly wants to prove himself to me in a swimming race. How do I get out of that?" Emma asked.

"Easy. Get in the water, kick into your torpedo speed mode, and knock the poor guy out of the water."

"Lewis!" Emma backhanded Lewis's shin.

"Just give him your best record time and have him swim against that time. In fact, you can give him a time worse than what it actually is so he can beat it and feel better about himself and then he'll leave you alone." Lewis suggested. Emma smiled.

"That is a good idea. I mean, he'd never be able to beat my real time anyway." Emma added. Cleo and Rikki laughed. "But he's still a touchy-feely kind of guy. He's really into this family vacation and spending time with me. Which I'm okay with, but with someone like Percy...an incident is bound to happen in no time."

"Give the guy a break. He hasn't seen you in years, right? I'm sure he's just happy to be here, in a new country, on vacation, and seeing people he loves." Lewis said.

"I get that, Lewis! I just want to protect the secret, okay? He'd freak out and probably tell his mom, who will tell my mom, and then everyone will know. He's so rambunctious and I can only take so much. Besides, he's acting like he's never going to see me again." Emma protested.

"You two do live on two different continents on opposite sides of the world." Cleo pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's not like we can't ever communicate. He's never called me or texted me or even wrote a letter. Actually, he's dyslexic, so I can understand he's not into writing. But our moms are actively trying to see each other more often, and I don't think the world is going to end any time soon, so I think that Percy can relax a bit, can't he?"

"Okay, Em, you're getting way too worked up and defensive about this." Rikki slid herself into the water to float aside Emma. "You're just freaking out about losing our secret all along, aren't you? I think you need to just relax on the beach and enjoy the day today. Take a deep breath, and don't judge anything, got it?"

"But Rikki-"

"No, I'm in charge now, Em. And I say, you relax today." Rikki assured with a smug look. "Let's all go to the beach today. It'll be fun, and you know it, and you have nothing planned. If you do have something planned, cancel it. Call in sick at work. As someone who has said plenty of things without thinking, I know that if you don't cool it, you're going to say something you're going to regret to Percy or somebody."

"Rikki's right. C'mon, Emma. You have nothing to worry about. And Lewis will be with us in case of any incidents happen again. Right, Lewis?" Cleo volunteered. Lewis blinked, startled by Cleo.

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Definitely. Will be there."

A smile tugged on Emma's lips.

"Thanks, you guys. I'll try to lighten up a bit."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author: wow a third chapter in how many months? This sudden motivation has me wanting to make this the first fic I really finished. It definitely won't be as long as my Sunshine Kiss fic.**

 **This chapter is super long. Super duper long. I wanted to squeeze this day at the beach in one chapter while including all sorts of bonding fun. I hope everyone will enjoy this long chapter as I had writing it.**

 **A few review responses! I just love responding to these, okay? It's fun!**

 **thesecret . writer: had to separate the words from the period because some reason it deleted it! Prollie cause I can't include links *shrug* Anyway, Emma is just imagining the worst case scenario. From Emma's point of view, Percy is really close with his mom (and he really canonically is) and she doesn't know what he'll do. And, when you think about it, it sounds like the likely thing Percy would do. He'd be like "you got demigods _and_ mermaids in your family! how cool is that?"Sorta thing. Will he actually do it? Who knows! Hell, would Percy even find out Emma's secret?**

 **TheOneandOnlyMe: very good point! Something I sorta rushed into writing so I didn't fully think it out initially, but here's my "reasoning" if you will: Percy usually always makes himself dry when in contact with water. He's done this so much so that he doesn't have to think about it anymore and it happens automatically. He's also incredibly powerful, and yeah, he's got those powers down, but something's bound to slip, right? Especially when something exciting is happening that really isn't fighting-related. Lewis, I feel, is an incredibly smart guy, but sometimes really dense too. He misses minor details sometimes. He really wasn't paying attention. He was sitting next to Annabeth, who he can't help but to find to be very pretty. Annabeth is pretty, nice, and smart, so he got a little captivated by her. As for Zane not noticing, he was being dense and stupid too, trying to find some personal flaws so Rikki can lose interest him, or so he thinks. But I will admit, I should have thought about that chapter a bit more too. Hope this is okay!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Please review!**

 **-Spiz**

* * *

Emma and Cleo simultaneously opened colorful beach towels and had the wind catch them to spread over the sand with ease. Slipping on a pair of sunglasses, Emma laid down on her towel. Cleo sat beside her on her towel.

"I wonder where Rikki went off to." Cleo said.

"She said something about meeting up with Zane. I think she invited him to the beach." Emma answered. Cleo nodded.

"And Lewis might be around here somewhere too..." Cleo muttered, looking around. She spotted three other familiar faces walking along. In that moment, the three people spotted Cleo and Emma, and jogged over.

"Emma!" Elliot called as he trotted to her side. He was dressed in his swim trunks and had goggles hanging around his neck. Emma sat up and removed her sunglasses. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"What's wrong? What are you doing here?" Emma asked. Following behind Elliot was Percy and Annabeth, also dressed in swim shorts and bikini respectively. Annabeth's blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Emma's face fell at the sight of the pair.

"Remember. Relax." Cleo whispered.

"Hey, Em!" Percy greeted cheerfully.

"Hi." Annabeth offered Cleo and Emma a smile, which was returned by both girls.

"I wanted to go bodyboarding today, but mum said I couldn't go alone. But you weren't home, and then Aunt Sally suggested I ask Percy so I had to wake him up, and he said he'll take me!" Elliot explained.

"Do you know how to bodyboard, Percy?" Emma asked skeptically.

"Yup! I'm great at it. And great at anything that involves swimming." Percy replied with a grin. "Which reminds me. We gotta race, Emma. Now that we're here at the beach, we can do it properly."

Emma smiled at him and remembered Lewis's idea.

"I don't think so." Emma said. Percy frowned. "I'm not swimming. But what if I gave you my best time and you race against that? We can do it when we get back and use the pool at the house. What do you say?"

"I really wanted to race against you! Not your time! It's more fun that way." Percy protested. "C'mon. Just one. Please? It'll only take a minute and then you'll be done!"

"No, Percy. I'm not swimming."

"You won't even get in the water?"

"She won't even touch it." Elliot chimed in. Emma shot him a glare.

"That's all behind me now, okay? I won't get in the water to race you and I won't get in the water for any other reason." Emma stated firmly.

Percy couldn't help but feel a little hurt. He loved the water and the ocean. It's in his blood. Literally. And to meet someone who hated swimming is like hating Poseidon, and that's like hating Percy. Okay, okay, that was a stretch and Percy knew it.

But still. Percy remembered when he did visit, Emma always swam. It was impossible to get her out of the water. And she was such a killjoy with her early bedtimes and strict diets because she took her swimming races so seriously. Emma used to tell Percy when they were little that someday she will be the greatest and fastest swimmer of all time. It was her dream to go to the Olympics and win the gold medal for swimming. That was the Emma Percy remembered.

So then why the sudden change?

"Okay, fine. I'll race against your best time, I guess." Percy said, defeated. Emma gave him a sympathetic look.

"Thanks for understanding."

"So you guys are going bodyboarding?" Cleo questioned, suddenly changing the subject. Immediately, Percy's expression lifted.

"Yeah! Percy said he would take me!" Elliot responded. "Can we go now? I can't wait to start!"

"Yeah, we can go now. Do you guys wanna come?" Percy offered. He already knew Emma's answer, so he kept his gaze fixed on Cleo.

"No thanks. I'm just going to lie here and relax." Emma said nonchalantly.

"I want to sunbathe a little, but thanks for the offer." Cleo explained. Percy looked at Annabeth.

"I think I'll stick around here, if that's okay." Annabeth glanced at Emma and Cleo, as if asking for permission. They gave her a slight nod. "Do you mind? I'll come join you after, but you two go have some fun."

"Alright. I'll see you guys around then." Percy and Elliot turned away to head further down the beach.

"Percy!" Emma called. Percy looked over his shoulder with a hopeful look. "Be careful! And watch out for Elliot and make sure he doesn't get hurt!"

"Don't worry! He'll be fine!" Percy reassured.

"Yeah, Em! I'll be fine! Watch me go out there!" Elliot added. Percy and Elliot exchanged grins and walked away.

"There was this one time I went bodyboarding," Elliot began with a kick to the sand. "There was this wave that knocked me off my board. I couldn't swim too good and the water was really deep! But then all of a sudden, Rikki was there! She showed up out of no where and brought my board to me. She had me get on it and then she pushed me to shore! She swam so fast! The fastest swimmer I've ever seen before!"

"Faster than Emma?" Percy asked.

"Yeah! It was amazing. Rikki is the coolest. She saved my life and I'll never forget that." Elliot said. "And then afterward, we went out for a bit but it didn't work out."

Percy almost laughed out loud but stopped himself before doing so. It was just the idea of someone as tough and outspoken like Rikki dating a young boy like Elliot seemed impossible.

"Yeah? You did?" Was the best Percy could come up with.

"Yeah. Well, kind of. I really wanted to, but she wasn't too interested in me so it didn't work out with us." Elliot paused and then looked up at Percy. "How'd you get Annabeth to be your girlfriend? How do you get girls to like you?"

Percy stopped in the sand. He stood motionless with a stupid expression because he was caught off guard. He asked himself almost everyday how a guy like him could be so lucky to have a girl as amazing as Annabeth. And now he's getting asked relationship advice? Percy loved Elliot and he was like a little brother, certainly more normal than Tyson, and wanted to look out for him as best as he could.

"Well, you see, kid," Percy said. "I've been asking myself that question everyday, to tell you the truth. It helps that Annabeth and I have known each other for a few years before we started going out. We're best friends. And I guess...I guess the only way to get girls to like you is to be yourself. Be honest. Always be honest because they know when you're lying. And don't be an idiot. Girls like it when you're smart, but don't do things you don't know how to do or will make you look stupid. And be nice to them and treat them right."

"I feel like I already do that and it's not enough, though." Elliot protested. Percy chuckled and put his arm around Elliot's shoulder.

"Elliot, you're still pretty young. I wasn't dating when I was your age. There's absolutely no hurry. Take your time. Enjoy these simple years now. Trust me, it gets crazy when you get to high school. So don't worry too much about getting girls to like you, okay? You're a catch and anybody would be lucky to have you as their boyfriend. But don't rush it." Percy explained. Elliot nodded.

"Thanks, Percy! You're much better at giving advice than Lewis, and he dated more girls than you!" Percy laughed.

"Thanks, I guess."

"Will you come back and visit me again?" Elliot suddenly asked.

"I don't know when my mom plans on coming back, but I hope so."

"That's good. I want to see you and Aunt Sally more often. Uncle Paul seems like a nice guy too. And Annabeth is really cool too. I wish you guys would move down here." Elliot admitted.

"Hey, I wish you guys would move up to New York with me." Percy countered playfully. "It's hard to see each other with having families live on opposite sides of the world, but I will promise you one thing: we'll definitely keep in touch."

"Really?"

"Definitely. I'll write you letters and call you and send you stuff from America."

"Wow! Cool! I'll send you stuff from here too!" Elliot said gleefully. Percy grinned.

"Now how about we hit those waves?"

* * *

"I hope it's okay with you guys if I join you." Annabeth said. She sat on the towel she brought and laid out on the sand.

"Of course. We're not into swimming that much." Cleo replied.

"Thanks. I wanted to give Percy some time to spend with Elliot and his family. I think Elliot seems to idolize him a bit." Annabeth suggested.

"Yeah, he probably does." Emma agreed with a laugh. "You think those two will be okay out there?"

"Percy's definitely not the brightest bulb, but he will never let anything happen to Elliot out there." Annabeth assured. "I truly believe there's no better person to be with him. Except for you, of course."

Emma smiled a little.

"Oh no." Cleo groaned. Emma faced the direction Cleo was looking. Lewis was walking barefoot in the surf, in his swim trunks, and holding hands with Charlotte dressed in a bikini.

"Great. He brought her here." Cleo grumbled.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked.

"Charlotte." Cleo replied with obvious distaste in her mouth.

"She's Lewis's girlfriend."

Annabeth guessed Lewis was Cleo's ex-boyfriend, but decided against asking and bringing it up. Lewis spotted the girls, said something to Charlotte, and then the couple strolled towards them.

"Hey, guys!" Lewis greeted brightly. "Fancy seeing you here. How's it going?"

"Fine." Cleo muttered.

"Oh, sorry. Uh, Charlotte, this is Annabeth. Annabeth, this is Charlotte." Lewis introduced.

"Hi."

"Nice to meet you." Charlotte smiled, but then looked away from Annabeth. "Are you American?"

"As American as can be." Annabeth replied with a shrug.

"I used to live in America. I lived in California for a little while, but I never picked up the accent there." Charlotte informed.

"Oh, nice. I have family there. It's nice and sunny, kind of like how it is here."

"Yeah. Which is good. I'm not a fan of cold weather." Charlotte paused. "So what brings you to the Gold Coast?" She questioned, eyeing Emma and Cleo who were trying not to pay attention.

"I'm on family vacation. My boyfriend is Emma's cousin so we came out to visit."

"Is Percy here?" Lewis asked.

"He went bodyboarding with Elliot."

Lewis couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. He never liked it when Cleo spent time with guys other than himself, but he supposed he should work on getting over that.

"Shall we get going, Lewis?" Charlotte looped her arm with Lewis's like a vine.

"Well, we just came by to say hi. We'll be around." Lewis gave a small wave and then left.

"Don't trust her." Cleo warned. "She's evil and manipulative. She came onto Lewis when we were dating. We broke up for other reasons, but then she just swooped in and put him under her spell."

"Noted." Annabeth also noted that Cleo seemed the jealous type. Cleo was a sweet girl, but seemed protective of what was hers.

"Just relax, Cleo." Emma returned Cleo's words, giving her friend a look. Cleo ignored her and remained tense.

"This beach is great." Annabeth spoke up in eagerness to keep conversation light. "All the beaches seem amazing. Must be nice to live here."

"It is." Emma agreed.

"We come here all the time." Cleo added.

"You guys have beaches in New York, right?" Emma asked. Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah, but not as many as you guys do. Or as nice. If we had beaches like these, I'd be there every day. It's so relaxing." Annabeth replied as she ran her fingers through the soft white sand. "And there's lots of islands around too to visit, right?"

Emma and Cleo exchanged nervous glances.

"No, not really." Emma said. Annabeth furrowed her brows.

"Really? Elliot said there were. He told us that there was this one island called Mako that was nearby."

Emma's heart dropped in her stomach. Her throat dried and stopped any words from coming out. Quick, Emma, think. She can't give Annabeth or Percy any ideas.

"Well, Mako isn't a very good island." Cleo quickly said. "Nobody goes there."

"Mako is this really tiny island. Hardly has much to see there except a volcano that hasn't erupted in hundreds of years, but that's no sight either." Emma added. She hoped she didn't give too much away. "Besides, around the island is nesting areas for sharks. The sharks are everywhere and they're extremely territorial of their young. So nobody can even get near the island. Not that they would want to anyway."

 _Well, it's not like sharks would be a problem for Percy and I_ , Annabeth thought.

"If it's deserted, there must be a lot of wildlife there where no people can interfere." Annabeth suggested. Emma and Cleo internally groaned.

"No, not really. Maybe some mountain lions that could attack you, but there's not much there at all." Cleo said.

 _Wow, they really don't want me to go to Mako Island. Not like I've faced worse_ , Annabeth thought.

"It's just not safe. There are plenty of other things to do downtown. Like shopping or we can go to other beaches."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess we can do that." Annabeth muttered. She's intrigued by Mako and wondered if Emma and Cleo were hiding something from her. It's not like the world is going to end if she goes to Mako anyway, right?

"Hey! You guys! Annabeth!" A voice called.

The three girls turned to see Percy waving from the ocean, sitting on his bodyboard that floated alongside Elliot's. Elliot waved too with a big grin on his face. The girls all chuckled and waved back at the two boys. Percy and Elliot started to paddle themselves away from the shore and closer to the waves.

"Listen, I'm going to walk around a bit. See more of the beach, if that's okay." Annabeth announced, standing up.

"Yeah, sure." Emma said.

"It's not like you need our permission anyway." Cleo added with a smile. Annabeth returned a small smile. She then turned and walked away. Emma and Cleo watched in silence.

"Okay, you did not tell me how good Percy looks in a bathing suit." Cleo quickly said once Annabeth was out of earshot.

"This is my cousin we're talking about. He must have been working out in the past four years I haven't seen him."

"Honestly, I don't think I've seen a hotter guy." Cleo admitted. "Except for Byron. And Ash. And you got both of those guys. And now your cousin...I wish I could attract guys like you do."

"Byron moved away. Ash is my boyfriend. And Percy is my cousin who lives in New York."

"I know. It's not fair." Cleo whined. Emma and Cleo giggled.

"Cleo, you're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met. On the inside and out. I'm lucky to call you my best friend and I know any guy would be lucky to have you."

Emma had to admit, she couldn't help but wonder if Percy has been working out. It has been four years after all, and he just looks so different. He didn't seem the type to be into sports, but Emma guessed he could have changed. She had, after all. But she's happy if Percy is healthy, even if he used to tease her about staying fit when they were kids.

"I think I'm going to take a walk too, if you don't mind, Em." Cleo stood up. "Maybe I can find Rikki around here."

"Sure. Go ahead." Emma assured. "I'm just going to lie here and try to get some sun."

"Alright. See you around, Em."

* * *

"So I was thinking," Rikki said. She was dressed in a bikini, walking through the sand with her hand linked with Zane's. "Maybe we could head up to Mako later today."

"Just the two of us?" Zane asked. Rikki smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. It'll be private. Cleo and Lewis broke up. Ash doesn't know our secret so it's not like Emma will be meeting him there anytime soon. So I thought maybe that could be our private spot. We don't have to worry about either of our dads or anything." Rikki explained. Zane stopped and pressed a kiss against Rikki's lips.

"I think that is a great idea." Zane said. Rikki grinned and kissed him. It was brief, because she heard someone making a noise nearby. With a scowl, Rikki turned to see Nate, shirtless in swim trunks, trying to impress people walking around.

"Ugh. Why did you bring him here?" Rikki asked.

"He invited himself. And he's not that bad." Zane protested.

"He's harassing the girls again."

"He's just trying to impress them."

"With his fake martial arts?"

Rikki and Zane said nothing and watched Nate practice his martial arts, complete with his own dramatic sound effects.

"Hey, I think that's Annabeth." Rikki observed. Annabeth happened to be strolling past Nate, a few meters away from Rikki and Zane.

"Hey, blondie!" Nate called to Annabeth. Annabeth turned to face him.

"Don't call me that."

"Hey, you're a hot babe _and_ got an American accent there! Nice! You must be new. I'm Nate." Nate stepped forward and took Annabeth's hand in his.

"Don't touch me, Nate." Annabeth commanded, pulling her hand away. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"How about I show you around? Maybe you and I can grab a bite to eat for dinner? Your treat, of course. Or maybe I can show you some of my amazing moves?"

"Amazing moves?"

"Nihon chi. It's a kata. I do it for discipline. Focus. To attain a oneness with mind, body, and spirit." Nate recited. "I can teach you, if you'd like."

"No thanks." Annabeth turned to walk away. Nate jogged alongside her.

"That's cool. Girls shouldn't learn anyway. They need to leave it up to the real men who can protect them. So how about-"

In an instant, Annabeth twisted Nate's arm he tried to slink around her. A second later, Nate was flipped over on his back in the sand.

"The only person who protects me is me, got it? Now leave me, and every girl here alone." Annabeth snapped.

Rikki and Zane exchanged dropped jaws and surprised expressions.

"Oh my god." Rikki laughed. "Be right back." Rikki patted Zane before pulling away to jog towards Annabeth. "Annabeth!"

Annabeth stopped walking away from the recovering Nate. Zane walked past the two blondes to go check on his friend.

"Hey! That was so cool. Could you teach me how to do that?" Rikki asked. Annabeth blinked.

"That? Okay. We can work on it. You're not being harassed by anyone, are you?"

"No! Not at all. People know better than to mess with me. But I'm always eager to learn new things." Rikki replied. She was prepared for anything. She would love to use her powers on people like Nate, but she knew it would get out of hand too quickly. "Do you use that move on Percy?"

"Only when he's being an idiot." Annabeth said with a giggle. "C'mon. Let's go down here and we can work on it."

* * *

 _You know, Percy's really not that bad. I just don't have to let him get to me. He was able to understand that I don't like swimming anymore. He seemed disappointment, but that happens in life. Besides, he seems to be enjoying himself swimming with Elliot._

Emma let out a sigh of relief. She sat up and glanced at the ocean, meters away. She could see Percy and Elliot's figures moving with the waves. All was well. Emma leaned back and relaxed against her towel.

 _I should do something to make it up to him. I don't know what, but I'll find something. Maybe I'll buy him something. Or bake something. He can be such a glutton sometimes. Maybe I'll just cut him some more slack. Although he could use the scoldings, I probably have been harder on him than I should._

 _Actually, maybe it's best if I apologized...I don't think I owe him an apology too much. If anything, he should be apologizing for harassing me. But he did cut back, so maybe-_

Emma's thoughts were interrupted when she felt a sudden coolness descend upon her. She sat up and removed her sunglasses. There was an ocean wave stretching across the beach and heading towards Emma. Emma was in shock at the odd sight, but there wasn't time to think.

Immediately, Emma scrambled away from the water. She ran to the edge of the beach into the shade of trees. The wave hit where Emma was lying previously, but then receded and left behind all her belongings.

Breathless, Emma tried to pull herself together. She had never seen anything so bizarre. Well, there was mermaids, but she has never seen water behave like that. Like it was...going to attack her? Emma had a feeling this was an attack against her. But who? Why? How?

Rikki had to dry everything off for Emma. Emma had to find her and Cleo and figure out what just happened. No, she had to find Percy and Elliot. The wave came from the ocean, obviously, so could it have hit them? Were they okay?

Emma walked briskly across the beach. She scanned the water for Percy and Elliot, which she was able to find eventually. Percy was sitting on his board with his back to Emma. Elliot was near Percy, happily catching as many waves as he could.

Along the beach, Emma spotted Annabeth and Rikki, who were walking together in Emma's direction.

"Hey, guys!" Emma called, jogging up to the pair. "Did you just see that?"

"See what?" Annabeth asked.

"There was a wave! A really odd wave that came up all the way to where I was on the beach. I was meters away from the shore, but it tried to get me." Emma explained.

"No, but I wish I had!" Rikki joked. "That sounds ridiculous, Em. Even for you."

"You might have been in the sun for too long and imagined the whole thing. Maybe you should sit in the shade for a while." Annabeth suggested.

"No, guys. I'm telling you what I saw. It's like the ocean attacked me." Emma protested. Rikki laughed.

"And the sky tried to fall on me yesterday!" Rikki teases. Emma rolled her eyes. "And the day before that, the earth tried to swallow me up and kill me!"

Neither Emma or Annabeth found Rikki amusing.

"Rikki, all of my things are wet." Emma sternly said, trying to give a hint. Rikki frowned in disappointment that no one was appreciated her humor.

"Yeah, they'll probably dry." Rikki muttered.

"I need to find Cleo. Have you seen her?"

"Nah. She might have gone for a swim. You know how much she loves swimming." Rikki grinned with a twinkle in her eye.

"I thought she didn't like swimming." Annabeth pointed out. Rikki's face fell and Emma scowled.

"I was being sarcastic." Rikki quickly responded. "Of course she wouldn't be swimming. She probably is hanging out with Lewis. Or maybe not since I saw him with Charlotte. I don't really know, but she can't get very far."

"I'll go look for her."

"I'm going to go for a bit of a swim." Annabeth announced. "Wanna come?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. Not my kind of thing. Besides, I have my boyfriend, and you have yours." Rikki answered. She smiled at Annabeth before rushing to catch up with Emma.

Annabeth walked into the water. It was cool, but definitely warmer than she expected. She waded deeper until it reached her knees. She stopped and dug her toes into the sandbank.

It didn't take long for Percy to notice her and make his way towards Annabeth. He had a large, stupid grin on his face, but Annabeth was not smiling. She crossed her arms.

"I know what you did."

"Did what?" Percy asked innocently.

"Did you make a wave to get Emma?"

"Maybe."

"Percy!"

"What? She won't get in the water, so I'll bring the water to her!" Percy protested.

"You're lucky nobody saw it. Emma's not an idiot. You could have blown our secret."

"Listen, Annabeth, it's no big deal. Nobody got hurt. Nobody saw. I don't see a problem here."

"Just don't do it again, okay?"

"Only if you come swimming with me." Percy grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "I'll get you your own body board. Or we can share mine. Or I could even use my powers and you wouldn't need a board at all!"

Annabeth smiled and moved deeper into the ocean. Percy floated alongside her on his bodyboard. Without warning, she splashed Percy. The couple burst out laughing at the surprise attack, but Annabeth wasn't laughing after she was knocked over by a sudden wave. She surfaced and spat out saltwater.

"You really wanna go there, Wise Girl?" Percy taunted. Annabeth smirked. "I'm the King of the ocean! Well, actually, my dad is, but Emma and them don't know about that so to them I am king-"

Suddenly, Percy's board was flipped completely over, and Percy rolled under. Annabeth burst out laughing at the sight. Percy surfaced with a frown.

"How'd I flip over?"

"Maybe your head was too big to keep the weight balanced." Annabeth teased.

"You think my dad was mad I called myself the king of the ocean? Did he miss the part where I said that he was?" Percy complained. Annabeth laughed and splashed him in the face.

On the beach, Cleo, Emma, and Rikki were all laughing amongst themselves as they watched Percy and Annabeth. Emma and Cleo high fived each other.

"Want me to turn the ocean into a giant hot tub?" Rikki offered.

"No, that's okay. Flipping him was enough for me." Emma assured. Percy and Annabeth continued to splash each other and laugh. "It's a good thing someone can stand him."

"They look so cute together." Cleo murmured. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't a mermaid so I could have that."

"What? Really, Cleo?"

"Not all the time. Only sometimes. I just can't help but wonder if my life would be any easier if I wasn't a mermaid anymore." Cleo admitted.

"How much more _boring_ it would be." Rikki said. "Cleo, that's crazy talk. This is the best thing that's ever happened to us. Sure, you hit a few bumps in the road with romances, but Emma and I are in decent relationships, so you can find that too."

"It helps when your boyfriend knows you're a mermaid." Emma grumbled.

"Are you going to tell Ash?" Cleo asked.

"No way. He keeps prying, almost as bad as Percy, but I'm never going to tell him. Too risky."

"It might make your life easier." Rikki pointed out.

"Em, do you want to go to Mako later tonight?" Cleo suggested.

"Sorry, I can't. Family dinner. I never miss dinner with my family, and it's more important to my mum now that Aunt Sally is here."

"That doesn't sound like fun."

"Last night was a little awkward. Aunt Sally's new husband, Paul, told Elliot and I we could call him Uncle Paul if we wanted too, but it's still a little weird. I didn't even call Gabe 'Uncle Gabe.' Actually, Percy and I used to call him 'Smelly Gabe.' He smelled awful and was an awful person. I'm glad Aunt Sally divorced him."

"Sounds terrible. But it's good your family is together and happy now." Cleo said quietly, looking away. "Rikki? You wanna go to Mako?"

"Sorry, Cleo. No can do. I got dinner plans myself tonight. Zane's dad invited me to have dinner with him."

Emma and Cleo winced.

"That sounds worse than my family dinner. That'll be so awkward. Best of luck to you." Emma said.

"Why does he want to see you?" Cleo asked.

"He's worked things out with Zane and now he wants to work things out with me, since we are dating and everything. And because of the Denman incident. Hopefully he doesn't irritate me, but hey, at least they're will be free food." Rikki shrugged. "Besides, Zane didn't tell him I got my powers back. All he knows is that I gave up my powers, so I don't have to worry much about him."

"Maybe this will be a chance to put the Denman incident entirely behind us." Emma suggested.

"It already is. We don't need to keep talking about it anymore." Rikki reassured.

"Let's just hope we don't run into more people who want to exploit us again." Cleo said. "Right now, the closest person finding out our secret is Charlotte, so we have to be careful."

"I agree. She can threaten our existence if she found out. We don't know what she's capable of." Emma agreed.

"What about Percy? Weren't you worried about him?" Rikki asked.

"Got him to back off finally. Now we can focus on Charlotte."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author: okay so like...I don't know how to describe this chapter. This is something I've always imagined would happen in H2O (for I do roleplay as Rikki on Tumblr) and I just really wanted to write it out.**

 **You can prollie skip this chapter if you want. As the author, I discourage you to skip any chapters and encourage you to read the whole thing, but I understand that you may not have much interest in this. It doesn't do much for plot, doesn't really have our two favorite demigods, but it does a lot for character.**

 **I will take a moment to reply to reviews again here though:**

 **YoloMcSwaggins:** **you know, I've thought about this! I'm on the fence of how to handle Percy racing against Emma's time. I can promise it will happen. And he might beat her time (but if they were to have a race now with Emma as a mermaid, that'd be a different story). I haven't quite made up my mind yet, but I really like your idea and appreciate your input!**

* * *

"So, Rikki, how have you been?" Harrison Bennett asked. He sat at a dining table, with Rikki and Zane sitting across from him. Dinner wasn't served, but everyone munched on appetizers laid out.

"Good, good. Just the...you know...same old, same old...I guess." Rikki replied sheepishly. "How's it going with you?"

"I've been doing well myself. Thank you for asking." Harrison paused. "How's school going?"

"Good, I guess." Rikki shrugged.

"Are you working?"

"Nah, not really. Just a little bit here and there."

A silence settled between the three. Harrison just nodded at Rikki and contemplated how to keep a conversation going with her to diffuse the tension.

"So. No Candy tonight?" Rikki questioned. Zane rolled his eyes, but kept his mouth shut.

"No. No, Candy won't be joining us. She had a previous engagement."

"Huh." Rikki didn't know what else she could say at this point.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" One of the Bennetts' workers asked. It was impossible to tell if this guy was the chef, waiter, butler, but Rikki either way was still impressed that they could hire such workers to attend to their personal needs.

"Ma'am?" Rikki blinked. The worker, Harrison, and Zane were staring at Rikki expectantly. She was spacing out.

"Just a water for me." Rikki responded.

"Get her the sparkling." Harrison said. "You'll like the sparkling. It's very good."

"Okay. And I'd like a straw, please." Rikki added. The worker nodded once and left, while Harrison raised his eyebrows at her. Rikki just remembered the relationships and situation and inwardly groaned. "It's out of habit at this point."

"Can't say that I blame you. Experiencing something as life changing as that would force you to change your habits." Harrison agreed. "You really aren't..."

"A mermaid? Not anymore. Gave it up a long time ago." Rikki answered.

"If you don't mind me asking, but...how were you able to...revert to normal? How were you able to lose all that power?"

"Dad. Let's not talk about this." Zane said in a warning tone.

"No, no, it's okay." Rikki slipped her hand into Zane's under the table. "It's no big deal. I don't really know, Mr. Bennett. Things just lined up and we just were at the right place at the right time that was able to take away our powers. I guess it's like magic or something."

"It's fascinating. But it must have been a difficult decision. One that had to be made. Power comes with a price, and in this instance, that price is dealing with people like Denman. And...myself. Or how I was." Harrison explained. "I made a mistake back then. You were put in a very dangerous situation and I almost lost my son. I'd like to apologize and hope we can put this all behind us."

Rikki and Zane exchanged looks. Zane squeezed Rikki's hand reassuringly. Rikki began to feel less tense and a little more relieved. It'll take more than a dinner to have complete trust in Zane's father, but Rikki cared about Zane so she should give it a try.

"Well, there's no resentment here." Rikki said. "Denman did trick you too."

"I should have been better. I should have known exactly what I was getting myself into. If I had known she was going to kidnap you-"

"Yeah, well, it could have been worse." Rikki shrugged. "Its in the past."

"And because it's in the past, we don't need to talk about it anymore." Zane gave Harrison a look. Harrison acknowledged the message with a nod and leaned back.

Dinner and drinks were served. It was steak with a fancy sauce with potatoes and other vegetables. Rikki never had such a nice meal before, never a steak so big and well-seasoned, cooked to perfection. She never had such a sauce but she has got to find out the name of it so she can use it again.

The dinner was kept casual. The three all had enjoyable conversations. Harrison asked Rikki about her family. Zane grumbled to his dad. Rikki talked about her dad some, but not too much. Harrison then asked about the wildlife at Mako and if she had a real interest in it. Rikki wasn't sure, and Harrison asked what her interests were. Rikki said she enjoyed picking on Zane as much as she could, and they all laughed. Rikki asked for a funny story about Zane, and she got one, and Zane got embarrassed, which as masked by a snarky comment.

"Would you like me to take your plate? Dessert will be served shortly." The server asked Rikki. Rikki blinked and looked up at him surprised.

"Me? Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out." Rikki shrugged.

The server smiled and reached to take her plate and silverware. When withdrawing his hand back, however, he knocked Rikki's glass over and it spilled right onto her lap.

Rikki inhaled sharply and jumped to her feet. Zane's eyes widened and he was at his feet.

"I'm sorry-I'm so terribly sorry-"

"It's fine!" Rikki pushed herself forward and ran out the dining room.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zane snapped, stepping towards the server. He was getting red in the face from fury. "Do you realize what you have done? Have you forgotten that Rikki's my girlfriend and an important guest to this household? What the hell were you thinking?"

"Zane." Harrison rose to his feet. "You're dismissed, Walter." Walter the server nodded once and scurried off. "Zane, is everything alright?"

Zane struggled to find a decent lie to his dad.

"It...it's going to stain her dress." Zane said. "She loved that dress and now it's ruined."

"I thought she was only drinking water."

Zane's jaw dropped. His jaw clenched, but he was at a loss of words. Harrison just nodded and shifted his weight between his feet.

"So, when were you going to tell me?"

"It's not my secret to tell." Zane growled through gritted teeth. "Dad, I swear to God, if you do _anything_ to her-"

"I won't, Zane." Harrison cut in. "Look, mermaid or not, I think Rikki is quite the young lady. And I know how happy she makes you. Her secret is safe with me."

Zane said nothing and didn't relax. He couldn't meet his father in the eye and Harrison sighed.

"I think you need to go cool off." Harrison suggested.

"I'm going to check on Rikki." Zane turned away, but Harrison grabbed his arm.

"Zane, you're a mess right now. Go cool off. You and I both know Rikki isn't one to take help anyway."

Zane yanked his arm away. He silently left the dining room, but did not go to the bathroom where Rikki hid.

Inside the bathroom, Rikki was lying on the floor, transformed into a mermaid. She was recovering from her fall, for she hit her head on the way down. Rikki pulled herself together and rolled onto her back. She let out a frustrated sigh and then groaned.

"Great. Now I'm the one with the most recent incident." Rikki grumbled. She propped herself up on her elbows and extended a hand over her orange tail. Slowly, she curled her fingers and steam began to come off her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door. Rikki panicked and her heart started racing. She squeezed her fingers even more, forcing her body to painfully heat up in effort to dry quicker.

The door opened, and Harrison walked in. He was carrying some towels and had shut the door behind him. Rikki's eyes widened and her face paled like a deer in headlights. She was in so much shock that her body stopped steam drying.

"Mr. B-Bennett-I-I can explain-"

"No need." Harrison set down the towels beside her and leaned against the sink. "I figured as much. I thought you could use some towels to dry off with. But it looks like you had it covered."

Rikki had a lump in her throat. What was she supposed to do? Does she keep drying? Does she say something to him? What if he suddenly turns on her for more profit? No, that seemed unlikely. Zane trusted him.

Harrison noticed Rikki was hesitant to accept the towels. And she looked terribly frightened, still and unmoving.

"I apologize for Walter. He can be rather clumsy, but that's no excuse." Harrison said. He paused, but Rikki didn't say anything. She swallowed thickly.

"Listen, I understand that you don't trust me. I don't blame you. But I truly want to earn your trust. I know it'll take some time and I will not try to buy your trust, because you're a respectable woman. But I'd like to try by promising you that you have nothing to worry about. Your secret is safe with me. I am willing to help you whenever you need it."

Rikki blinked. Suddenly, she remembered when Zane rediscovered her secret.

 _"Listen to me. I can handle it."_

Rikki supposed the apple didn't fall far from the tree sometimes.

"Thank you, Mr. Bennett." Rikki said.

"You're welcome."

Neither said anything else. They just sort of nodded to themselves.

"It seemed like you had things under control. I'll just leave you to it. If you excuse me, I have to go make sure Zane didn't commit a homicide."

A small smile tugged on the corners of Rikki's mouth. Zane got on her nerves sometimes, and sometimes because he was being overprotective. But she guessed that having someone care so much for her was nice too. Unusual, but she appreciated Zane.

When Harrison left, Rikki resumed boiling the water off her body. She transformed back to normal and rejoined Harrison and Zane in the dining room. Zane was in a terrible mood and wanted to take Rikki home immediately, but she insisted in staying for dessert.

While eating dessert, Zane didn't say much. He picked at his cake and occasionally sent a glare at Harrison or Walter, whoever was present and closer. His sour mood hung in the air, making it feel heavy, tense, and awkward for the three. Harrison himself was quiet, embarrassed with himself and for once in his life, unsure of what to say out of fear of offending someone.

Rikki was, surprisingly, talkative. She felt the tension in the room like it stuck to her skin, so she tried to lighten it up. She shared a few stories, gave some jokes, made some sarcastic comments, and tried to pull Zane and Harrison into conversation by asking them questions. It helped, and for a few minutes, it was as if the tension disappeared, like there wasn't a secret they should have known about.

Zane was more impatient and persistent in taking Rikki home after they finished their desserts. Rikki was unsure, but Harrison found it best to agree with his son.

"Rikki, I know we never exactly got off on the right foot initially. But you're always welcome here anytime." Harrison said as he outstretched a hand.

"Thanks, Mr. Bennett." Rikki accepted his hand and shook it. "And I'd like you to know that even though I really didn't like you at first, you're a much better person now and my opinion of you has changed."

"Glad to hear that." Harrison leaned in and lowered his voice, "I want you to know that I'm truly glad you're with Zane. You're very good for him."

Rikki beamed. "Thanks, Mr. Bennett. I try."

"Rikki? Are you ready to go?" Zane called. He frowned. "What are you guys even talking about anyway?"

"Nothing." Rikki assured as she walked over to Zane's side. She took his hand in his.

"I'll be back later." Zane said without emotion. Harrison just nodded.

"Have a good night."

* * *

Rikki and Zane left, but Zane didn't take Rikki home. Instead, they walked to the docks. Zane hopped onto his Zodiac and started it up.

"How about I give you a head start?" Rikki asked jokingly. Zane smirked.

"Yeah, yeah. We all know you're the fastest there is."

"Do me a favor and mention that to Em next time you see her." Rikki had a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I'll give you a ten minute head start, okay?"

"And if I manage to beat you there?" Zane questioned. Rikki shrugged. "Well then, I'll choose what I win. I'll think about it on my way there."

Zane then drove off on the Zodiac. Rikki counted down ten minutes from her phone, while watching Zane cut through the dark ocean until she couldn't see him anymore. After eleven minutes, Rikki dived into the water. With the flick of her now-transformed tail, Rikki launched herself into super speed.

On Mako Island, Zane stumbled into the dormant volcano. There, Rikki sat against the wall, completely dry. Zane frowned but approached her.

"Took you long enough." Rikki teased with a smirk. Zane rolled his eyes.

"There's just no beating you. Name your prize." Zane sat beside Rikki. Rikki leaned over and pressed her lips against his. It was unexpected, but appreciated by Zane so it was happily returned. Before anything else could happen, Rikki pulled away.

"A kiss would do. Thanks for being a loser." Rikki said, giving Zane a playful nudge. Zane snorted.

"I'm sorry about what happened tonight."

Rikki shrugged.

"Bound to happen."

"I really wanted this to go well. For all of us. But the damn-"

"Zane," Rikki cut in. She placed a hand over his. "It happened, and I'm okay. But honestly, I still don't trust your dad. But I trust you, so I'm not worried. But let's just not tell Emma or Cleo in the meantime."

"I'd hate to get a lecture from either of them." Zane grumbled. "When I get home, I'm going to set some things straight with him.

"Don't worry about it. We worked things out. Did I want your dad to know? No. But now he does and what can I do about it? Actually give up my powers for forever?"

"If you could, would you do it?"

"Would you want me to?"

"Like you ever listen to me about anything anyway." Zane joked. Rikki smiled but watched the water move in the pool.

"I'd never give it up. This is the best experience of my life. I'd never throw it away." Rikki informed. "I just have to throw away the people who know about it."

"You're going to have to do better than that to get rid of me." Zane wrapped his arm around Rikki, and she rested against him. "You can get rid of Lewis if you want."

"Someday, maybe." Rikki joked. "I think Em's going to tell Ash."

"What? Seriously? Him? No way. She can't tell him."

"And why not?"

"The less people know, the better. Besides, the guy isn't any good. He kicked me out of the JuiceNet when I tried to cover for Emma!" Zane complained. "It's a huge secret. Your families don't even know them."

"She said it's been getting harder to keep it from him. He knows something's up and she thinks it'll be easier to tell him. But then again, she's been back and forth on this. Probably won't do anything for a while now."

"Good. Nobody should know."

"It's not your secret, Zane. We can tell whoever we want to tell." Rikki said firmly.

"No, you can't. If you did that, Rikki, you'd end up under a microscope."

"I would not!"

"Okay, fine. You wouldn't be under a microscope. You'd be in a fish tank at an aquarium. Or in a circus."

Rikki crawled away from Zane and glared at him.

"You don't think I can't handle myself? I got powers too, you know! I can start fires and make lightning! What can you do?"

"Rikki, I'm not saying you can't handle yourself! But there's people out there like Denman. They'd trick you and manipulate you and do whatever they can to get their hands on you because mermaids aren't supposed to exist. The whole world would lose it's shit over this." Zane explained. "And if anything ever happened to you again, I'd never forgive myself. Rikki, I just want to protect you."

"I don't need your protection." Rikki snapped.

"No, you don't at all. You're strong and independent. You can overcome anything. But I just...I just really hate what I had done to you...I just really want to make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again."

Rikki sighed and crawled back to sit beside him and leaned back against the rock.

"You need to let that go, Zane. It's done, it's over. I don't like thinking about it so let's just forget it."

"We can't just forget about it! I did something horrible and now the dinner happened-"

"Which was fine too, Zane." Rikki insisted. "Really. Just let it go. It went way better than I had expected it to anyway. It probably went better than Emma's family dinner tonight. But let's just enjoy the rest of the night together, okay?"

"Okay."

Zane pressed a kiss to Rikki's head. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. Zane wrapped his arms around her and rested his head atop Rikki's. They sat quietly for a moment, in each other's embrace and with their legs tangled. They watched the water in the moon pool flow and drops drip from the cave walls into it.

"Do you think I went in the moon pool during a full moon I'd become a merman?"

Rikki snorted and burst out laughing with Zane.

"Dear God, I hope not! That'd be the worst thing that's ever happened! For one thing, you can't even handle yourself when there's a shark nearby!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Here it is! Chapter 11. Don't have much to say about it. It's still the same night, basically what's happening to our favorite demigods while everything was going down with Rikki and Zane. But I don't think anyone will be confused either.**

 **Thanks for all the positive reviews! Gosh, I can't thank you guys enough for all your support.**

 **also may or may not be in search of a beta**

 **Enjoy Chapter 11!**

 **-Spiz**

* * *

Meanwhile, the Gilbert and Jackson families sat together at the dining room table. It was a tight squeeze to fit eight people, but extra chairs were set up.

"The beach was _so_ fun," Elliot said animatedly, "Percy took me bodyboarding! It was awesome!"

Percy exchanged grins with Elliot while Annabeth rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"You took him out way too far," Emma scowled.

"It wasn't that bad, Em." Percy protested.

"Yeah! It wasn't that bad, Em!" Elliot agreed excitedly. Emma glared at Percy's smug expression.

"Yes, it was! He could have gotten seriously hurt out there. Or you could have. The ocean is dangerous and unpredictable," _for humans_ , Emma added internally.

It took every ounce of willpower for Percy to hold back his laughter. He couldn't suppress his grin so he took a drink to cover it. Even Annabeth was smiling, but she kept her gaze at her dinner plate.

"Aunt Sally, don't you agree that Percy and Elliot were being too reckless?" Emma asked with hope that a mature adult would side with her. Sally herself had the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile, but she didn't expect to be turned to.

"Don't you agree, mom, that Emma is being too paranoid?" Percy earned another glare from Emma.

"Well, they both _do_ seem to be perfectly fine..." Sally replied. She smiled warmly at Emma. "But Percy is very protective and an excellent swimmer. I think that if Percy and Elliot were to get into a sticky situation, he'd be able to get them out of it."

 _Ha!_ Percy thought. He knew though if he said that out loud, he'd he pushing it. _It's not like I'm the son of the sea god or anything._

"Would Percy be able to get himself out of a riptide?"

 _Obviously not because no one can except mermaids like me,_ Emma smirked inwardly.

 _Lol please, Emma. You have no idea. Riptide is...not my middle name but it's the name of my sword!_ A part of Percy just wanted to tell Emma the truth. But he knew she'd never believe him, she wouldn't be able to see through the mist, and there will only be a handful of times in his life he'll ever see her, unfortunately. Besides, it could attract unwanted monsters and he won't be able to fight them off for her. She'll be killed for sure. Percy hoped that would never happen. He also hoped he would be able to see her more often in the future. After all, she is family and he loved her like a sister, even if they didn't get along. It was nice to know and have such a relationship with someone...ordinary. Percy loved his half blood friends and family, but he also appreciated that he had someone who was still part of his life, just not the crazy part. It made him feel normal, and he didn't want to mess it up.

"If your Aunt Sally says so, then I trust Percy's decisions." Lisa chimed up.

"Besides, Emma, you don't even touch water, so it's not your place to tell me and Elliot what to do." Percy pointed out. Emma's lips formed a tight line as she gripped her silverware tightly in her hands. She gave Percy one last icy glare before scooting her chair out.

"I'm going to start cleaning up." Emma informed bitterly. She started the pile on everyone's dinner plates, except for Percy's, and carried them into the kitchen.

"Dinner was delicious, Mrs. Gilbert." Annabeth said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. Lisa beamed at her.

"You're welcome, Annabeth. I'm sure you must miss your home cooked meals from your mum, hm?"

 _Ha. My mom. Cooking._ Annabeth mused.

"Yeah," Annabeth said instead with a small smile. Percy snorted, thinking the same thing Annabeth was.

Everyone began to disperse from the table. Elliot got up to go help Emma. Lisa followed. Percy and Annabeth also rose from their seats, while Paul and Neil remained sitting, deep in conversation.

"I'll get the dishes." Percy stepped to the sink before Lisa could.

"Really? How sweet of you, Percy! I'll take you up on your offer. Thank you." Lisa beamed at him and gave him a pat on the shoulder. She returned to the table to converse with Sally and Paul.

"I'll help you dry." Annabeth offered and picked up the dish towel. Percy smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I'll help put everything away!" Elliot added. He stood beside Annabeth expectantly. And so the three kids worked. Percy washed the dishes spotless thanks to some sneaky water magic tricks. Annabeth dried and relayed the dish to Elliot. Emma helped put away dishes too, partly because Elliot couldn't keep up with Percy's quick washing and to reach the high shelves.

Percy looked over his shoulder and grinned. Emma was crouched down putting things away in a lower cabinet. Once she closed the cabinet, but just before she rose, Percy raised some water out of the sink and sent it flying against Emma's back.

Emma yelped, her hand flew to her back, and she whipped around with a horrified expression.

"Percy!" Emma shrieked. She immediately bolted out of the kitchen, but Percy dipped his head to laugh. Annabeth whipped the towel in his face and ceased his laughter.

"What are we? Five?" Annabeth scowled. Percy chuckled.

"What? C'mon! Her expression is priceless. She doesn't even know what hits her," Percy protested. "Besides, what harm can a little water do?"

"You already got her with the wave. You don't need to do keep pranking her," Annabeth chided.

"No, I missed her. Now I got her." Percy pointed out. Annabeth glared at him before focusing her attention on trying the plates. All mischief seemed to abandon Percy at the sight of Annabeth's cold shoulder. She was irritated by him, he could tell. And he really didn't want to spend his vacation with her mad at him. Or have Emma mad at him either.

Then Percy said, "Alright. I'll go up and apologize."

Percy handed the last plate to Annabeth. She glanced at him, but said nothing. He eyed Elliot-who was patiently waiting beside Annabeth-and Paul and Neil were now sitting in the living room, each nursing a bottle of beer. Lisa and Sally were no where to be seen, seemingly went off without notifying anyone.

When Percy went upstairs, he went to Emma's bedroom and knocked on the door. There wasn't a response, no noise of indication that someone was in there, so Percy turned the handle and peeked inside.

The bedroom was empty. Despite no one in the room, Percy let himself in and took in his surroundings. Emma's bed was nearly made, as was Annabeth's air mattress. Everything was perfectly in place and spotless. Emma's desk was organized and had her summer homework-already completed-sitting in a neat pile. There were various ornaments decorating her walls and she had a large blue vanity with makeup labeled in various spots. The room was decorated very feminine, but with many different shades of blue, which was Percy's favorite color. Perhaps he and Emma weren't so different.

The window was framed by curtains and had a layer of blinds rolled at the top, providing a view of the back of the house. Below was the pool, and beyond was a dock to the ocean that reflected the crescent moon. Percy turned away from the window and examined her shelves. One shelf was lined with books in alphabetical order. Another shelf held all of Emma's trophies and hung several medals. Some certificates were framed for her swimming accomplishments. There had to be at least a dozen of these awards.

There were also many pictures framed. They mostly consisted of Emma, Cleo, and Rikki. Sometimes Lewis was there. Sometimes both Lewis and Zane were there. There were a few pictures of Emma's family, and a picture of just Emma and Elliot. There was also a picture of Emma with a guy Percy did not recognize. He was taller than Emma, dark brown hair, and a dazzling white smile with his arm casually around Emma. Emma herself was beaming at the camera and Percy wondered if this guy was the Ash mentioned before. Percy began to wonder if there were any pictures of him and Emma when they were little kids.

Percy smiled warmly. Emma had so many memories. She's been really happy these past few years. Not that she was unhappy before, but Percy never knew what she was doing all this time. Her life was good. She seemed so happy. She has best friends, a boyfriend, and a close relationship with her family. Emma went to school regularly and stayed on top of her studies. She had a job like every teenager. She was so talented when it comes to swimming, and Percy still can't wrap his mind around the fact that Emma threw all these awards that she worked so hard for were thrown away suddenly. Not to mention, she had a normal family. Her mom and dad, happily married, and a younger brother who got along great with her. Her life was just so...normal. Percy has almost forgotten what normal was like so it seemed so strange to be immersed into it again. After the two wars, he can appreciate normalcy, but he knows that it's not something he can ever return to, even if he dunked himself in the River Lethe.

But it was good to know that Emma was happy. It's good to have a side of his family that's normal and not part of his crazy life. He loved his crazy life, but Emma and his Aunt Lisa and Elliot and Uncle Neil was all like a breath of fresh air, a real vacation break from that crazy life.

Realizing he was lingering longer than he should have, Percy left Emma's bedroom and closed the door behind him. He heard the noise of a hair dryer and knocked on the bathroom door. The hair dryer stopped and Percy turned the handle, but it wouldn't budge, locked.

"Emma?"

"Don't come in!" Emma yelled. In one hand, she had a hair dryer. In the other, she had a towel as she sat propped up against the bathtub. Although she turned the hair dryer off, she continued to rub the towel against her orange scaled tail. "Go away, Percy!"

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Percy!"

"I'm sorry I sprayed you, Em," Percy apologized to the door. "I guess I got...carried away with the spray hose thing. But it was pretty immature of me and I shouldn't mess with you like that."

Emma sighed and tilted her head back against the tub. She's just frustrated with how hard it was getting to be to hide her secret. Finally, after a year, Emma thought she had gotten it down. Her powers are controlled and she wasn't growing any tails in front of anyone. But now here comes Percy. And here comes Charlotte and Ash and all these new people into her life. Hopefully, when Percy and his family leave for New York, things can return to normal. At least, normal for mermaids.

"It's fine, Percy. I'm not mad at you." Emma said after heaving a sigh. Although he was talking to the bathroom door, Percy's expression lifted.

"Thanks for not being mad. Will you come out of the bathroom now?"

"I need to take care of something. Please just leave me alone." Emma assured, trying to not sound too harsh.

"What kind of something?"

Emma scowled at his prying.

"It's a girl thing, Percy! You really want to help me with my girl issues?"

"Gods no." Percy immediately replied, cringing. "That's all on you. See you later."

Percy turned away and walked briskly back downstairs. Emma giggled to herself when she heard his quick moving footsteps. She wondered if Percy said the word "gods," which she's never heard anyone say an expression like that. But Emma decided that it doesn't matter and she couldn't quite remember which way it was. She moved her thumb over the dryer and switched it on.

After another minute, Emma's tail disappeared and she transformed back into a human. She got back on her feet and quickly headed back to her guests downstairs.

However, Emma stopped when she heard the sound of someone talking. Actually, it was two women, and their voices were faint. The sound came from the guest bedroom, where the door was shut to the crack. Emma knew that it was her mother and aunt. She also knew that eavesdropping was wrong, but she was already listening.

"It's just been...really hard for me this past year..." Aunt Sally murmured. "These past few years...actually...You know how Percy's changed a lot of schools. And he's been going away to summer camp and I just feel like...I feel like I don't see him anymore...I don't know where he is or what's...happening to him."

"Distance can be quite terrible, I know. But I also know that Percy loves you and cares for you very much." Lisa reassured. Emma couldn't see what exactly was happening inside, but she imagined her mum comforting Aunt Sally with reassuring hugs and squeezes.

"This past year, he was away...at a boarding school. And he was so far away...for so long..and I just...I was so worried..." Sally sniffled. "We lost mom and dad. And then Uncle Rich...and you live...here, halfway across the world and I know you have your family here and you're very happy. But I miss you so much. You and Percy and Paul are all I have...if I didn't have Paul to get me through this year, I don't know what I would have done..." Sally paused. "I just get so scared, Lisa...I get so terrified that one day...I'm going to lose Percy...and I'll wake up one day...and he'll just be gone..."

It fell quiet. Sally was crying, and Emma imagined Lisa was comforting her. Some words were exchanged, but they were too soft for Emma to comprehend. Emma's heart ached and felt heavy in her chest suddenly, feeling Sally's sadness. She decided she's eavesdropped enough and silently walked downstairs. She ignored Percy when they passed by each other, sat down on one of the living room chairs, and mulled over what she had just heard.

Percy, on the other hand, was heading back upstairs. He had left so quickly to get away from feminine problems that he didn't check to see where his mom and Aunt Lisa had gone off to.

Coincidentally, Percy also overheard the hushed chatter of Sally and Lisa coming from the guest bedroom. The door was cracked, but Percy raised a hand to knock.

"You know, Sally, there's something I've been meaning to tell you too..." Lisa admitted before Percy's knuckles could touch the door. Unable to resist the urge, Percy lowered his hand and leaned forward to listen.

"This past year, I think something's happened to Emma."

Sally paused, before asking, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Lisa sighed. "But this past year, she's changed dramatically. She quit swimming! She trained for years and one day, she just...stopped. She wouldn't give me a direct reason why. Something came over her. And then...she just grew so distant. Some days, she would act like a completely different girl! I feel like...she's becoming someone who I don't know or understand. Sometimes I wonder if I've been pushing her away and I've tried to...not do that, if you will. I've tried to be there for her but it's just...not enough..."

Lisa sniffled.

"I feel like I'm losing her sometimes. I don't understand how or why, but I feel so helpless and I just don't know what to do."

"Are you sure it's not just...a phase?" Sally asked.

"I've asked myself the same question. It feels so much bigger than a phase. I don't know how to explain it. I don't think either of us could ever understand it."

"You know how teenagers are. You remember how we were, right? We had our rebellious moments. But we grew older and we matured..."

"I was way more rebellious..." Lisa whispered. "I was the one who ran away when Rich died."

"Hey, no, you didn't." Sally protested. "You were in love with Australia when you went on that school trip in high school. And you fell in love with Neil when you met him on that trip. When Rich died, you had nothing to tie you down and you went after your dream. You moved to Australia, married Neil, and you got your family and you got your life together. You had your life, and I had mine."

"I abandoned you. I didn't talk to you for years. When I had Emma, I realized what I've done and I've realized how important family is. But when I reached out to you, it was too late, and you lost Percy's father at sea...and you were all alone with a baby. Even now, you've gone through so much on your own and I'm so sorry I abandoned you, Sally. You had to go through so much on your own."

"You're being too hard in yourself, Lisa. You're blaming yourself for my misfortunes, but none of it was ever your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. Although it's been...rough...I feel happier now, knowing that I'm not alone anymore. I have you, and Percy, and Paul, and everyone. We'll get through whatever happens next together."

Percy's heart was beating so hard and so fast in his chest that it hurt. He's heard enough, and truthfully, didn't want to hear anything else. He never realized how anguished Aunt Lisa was, and he didn't like it.

Sally and Lisa had fallen quiet, and Percy immediately backed away to avoid getting caught. Percy retreated downstairs. He made his way over to Neil, who was heading towards the staircase Percy came down from.

"Hey, uh, Uncle Neil?" Percy stopped him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Percy. Is everything alright?"

Percy's eyes darted over to where Emma sat in the living room, talking to Annabeth.

"Yeah! Yeah. Everything's fine." Percy assured. "I just wanted to ask you something. It's about Emma."

"What about Emma?"

"Why did she quit swimming?"

Neil frowned and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that. To this day, I still don't know. She said it was too much for her, but she's always handled pressure very well. She just said to us one day that she couldn't do it anymore. I don't understand how or why. I guess she just lost interest."

"How can she just lose interest? I thought she loved it and wanted to do it for the rest of her life." Percy said.

"I thought so too. Aunt Lisa and I have asked her numerous times about it, and she just told us she didn't want to do it anymore. It was hard to press her about it because she would avoid talking about it."

"How did she seem? Upset?"

"She seemed her usual calm, collected self. But I could see in her eyes that it pained her." Neil glanced back at his daughter, who was oblivious to the conversation. "Emma is a very smart girl and does everything with purpose. She had to have a good reason. Maybe if you asked her, she'd tell you."

"Nah, she hasn't. She won't even race against me for fun." Percy responded. Neil nodded, but he was unsure of what to say next.

"Well...I suppose people change. And Emma can change too." Neil said quietly. Percy nodded. "I'm off to bed. See you upstairs, Percy."

"See ya." Percy muttered, but he kept his gaze on Emma.

This shouldn't be such a big deal to him, but it bothered him. It bothered him greatly. Surely she can't have something as dramatic as what he experienced. For one thing, Emma is not a demigod. She's a perfectly normal human being. So then, what happened to her? Where was the Emma he knew and loved?


	12. Chapter 12

**Author: okay I cheated a bit at the end but oh well. I wanted this chapter to be longer, but I could never write it and it was pissing me off and I wanted to move on so bad so here you go. Kind of an eh chapter with a very eh ending, I really just wanted to give you guys some little peeks before I move into more of my plans for this story. Anyway, hope you enjoy! R &R please and thank!**

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"I'll have you swim my freestyle fifty meter time. So basically to the end of the pool, and back," Emma said. "My best time for it was about twenty-four seconds. Actually, it was twenty-four point eleven seconds."

Percy, Annabeth, and Emma walked alongside an open, outdoor pool. Instead of using Emma's smaller pool in her backyard, she suggested to use the local pool she used to train at within walking distance of the house. Although Percy disliked getting up early, he anticipated finally getting to race against Emma, even if it is her time.

When Emma told him her time, Percy knew it would be a piece of cake. In fact, he was expecting less time, but brushed off the thought, remembering that Emma was only human and can only go so fast.

"Sounds like a plan," Percy replied smoothly. The trio stopped in front of an unused swimming lane. Percy pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on a nearby lounge chair. He had his swim trunks on and goggles (that he didn't even need but brought upon Annabeth's request) around his neck.

In actuality, Emma's very best time was under twenty seconds, but it wasn't easy for her to hit below twenty on a regular basis when she swam competitively.

"Remember to beat it at a decent time. Go at a decent speed so she doesn't get suspicious," Annabeth reminded quietly in his ear. Percy grinned and nodded. "And don't forget to get wet this time, Seaweed Brain."

"I will, I will, Wise Girl," Percy gave her a quick kiss on the lips before moving to the edge of the pool.

"Good luck," Annabeth called before retreating to where Emma stood. She noted that Emma stood a great distance away from the edge of the pool. A stopwatch adorned Emma's neck, which she adjusted in her palm.

"Ready?" Emma asked.

"I was born ready," Percy joked before pulling the goggles over his eyes. Annabeth rolled her eyes. Emma smiled as Percy situated himself over the edge.

"Set! Go!"

Percy sprung forward and dove into the water as Emma clicked the stopwatch to start. Shortly after, Percy resurfaced and started rapidly slicing his way through the water.

Emma had to admit, he was pretty fast. It didn't make any sense to her. She's been training since she was six months old. Percy could have been training to swim competitively for the past four years, but could he really have become so...good at it? Perhaps he was just a natural, Emma mused.

Once his fingers brushed the rough concrete of the pool wall, Percy flipped himself underwater and kicked off the wall. He remembered Annabeth's words and ignored the urge to just surge through the water swiftly. He also remembered that he had to "come up for air" or at least appear to every so often, but not as often as he should. Percy hoped it wasn't noticeable that he could breathe underwater.

As soon as Percy's palm made contact with the wall he leapt from, Emma stopped the watch. She blinked at the time it read: 22.45. That almost beats her average. She didn't even expect Percy to beat twenty-four seconds, in all honesty.

"What's my time?" Percy asked, standing up in the water and pulling his goggles down. Annabeth peeked over Emma's shoulder and the blondes exchanged smiles.

"Twenty-two point forty-five," Emma announced. "Congrats. You beat my time."

Percy grinned and fist pumped the air. He then climbed out of the pool and approached the girls. Noticing the water drip from his body, Emma took a step back. Percy didn't notice her aversion and stuck a hand out to Emma.

"It was a good race, even if you didn't actually do it," Percy said. Emma glanced at his hand and took another step back.

"No need to shake on it," Emma said, nervously lacing and twisting her fingers tightly behind her back, but she offered a smile.

"How 'bout a hug?"

"That's not necessary," Emma reassured, retaining her sheepish smile. Percy chuckled.

"I get it. Not a hugger," Percy ran a hand through his dark hair, collecting water between his fingers. "But I know who is."

Without warning, Percy whipped around and threw his arms around Annabeth. Annabeth let out a surprised squeal as Percy pulled her close and hugged his drenched body against hers. Emma had seconds to freeze the flying drops from Percy's moving body and they fell at her feet without notice from the couple.

"Percy! Get off! I'm going to get soaked!" Annabeth cried, but she wasn't quite resisting him either. Percy laughed into her shoulder. Annabeth huffed but chuckled to herself. The corners of Emma's mouth turned upwards in a small smile at the sight, but she turned away to glance skyward. She frowned at the sight of forming dark clouds.

"We should head back," Emma suggested. Annabeth pushed Percy away and he obliged with reluctance. "Everyone will be waiting."

"Ugh. Do I have to go shopping with you guys?" Percy groaned.

"Then who's going to carry our bags?" Annabeth teased. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. And who's going to pay for all the stuff?" Emma added.

"You're the one with the paycheck here."

The group walked back with Emma in the lead and Percy and Annabeth following her behind. Behind Emma's back, Percy magically pulled the beads of water off his body into a condensed ball, which was tossed into the pool. Annabeth stopped him from entirely drying himself to avoid suspicion, and then stuffed a towel in his face.

When they arrived at the house, Cleo and Rikki were sitting comfortably waiting for Emma. The two girls were actually chatting with Lisa. Neil had to go to work for the day, Elliot was at a friend's house, and Sally and Paul went out previously for their own personal day trip.

"Oh! There you are!" Lisa greeted.

"We went up to the pool for a bit before we headed out," Emma informed. Lisa raised her eyebrows.

"You went swimming?"

"Percy did. He raced my time."

Lisa frowned, but masked her disappointment. She was secretly hoping that Emma would start swimming again, even though she quit over a year ago.

"And how'd he do?" Lisa asked more cheerfully.

"Totally beat it!" Percy boasted. "I am the swimming champ in this family now."

Emma smiled. He looked very pleased with himself, which did make Emma feel happy for, but she was also secretly happy that he didn't beat her real time. Even if he did, he'd never beat her in a swimming race now that she's a mermaid.

"Um, mum? Is it supposed to rain today?" Emma suddenly asked. Cleo and Rikki exchanged nervous glances. Emma glanced at them, but kept her expression calm and cool.

"Not sure. Haven't checked," Lisa replied, standing up. "I'll go do that right now."

"I'll go get myself cleaned up. Get this chlorine out of my hair." Percy flashed Annabeth a cheeky grin before quickly pecking her cheek. Annabeth smiled as he turned to head up the stairs. She knew he was just going to use his powers to remove the rest of the water and the chlorine.

Annabeth hesitantly walked to the living room in a trail behind Emma. Lisa toyed with her phone from the kitchen.

"It looks like it might rain," Annabeth chimed. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki all visibly paled, Annabeth noticed. Neither of the girls said a word, and Annabeth had a feeling they weren't thrilled to go out in the rain. Perhaps they were just the type of people who preferred the sunny days they were given recently and disliked gloomy, stormy days.

"I suppose you're right, Annabeth," Lisa agreed. "It does look dark out and it says here there's a seventy-five percent chance it will rain."

Suddenly, the dark house was momentarily lit up by a flash of lightning from outside. Shortly following was a roll of thunder. Rain began to hit against the windows.

"Bummer! Looks like we can't go shopping now," Rikki said.

"I was really looking forward to it too," Cleo added.

"Well, it is an indoor mall," Lisa reminded. "A little water can't hurt us, right? When Percy comes down, I'll pull my car out."

Emma, Cleo, and Rikki exchanged looks again. They were in silent agreement and stood up from their seats.

"I'll just go get my purse then," Emma announced and she went upstairs, with Cleo and Rikki in tow. They went to Emma's bedroom, where she immediately closed the door once Cleo and Rikki entered.

"What are we going to do?" Cleo complained.

"We can't fake sick again! After it went so well the last time," Rikki reminded.

"My mum parked her car in the garage this time so it wouldn't be a problem leaving the house," Emma explained. "But when we get to the mall, that's a different story. We'd have to walk from the car to the building."

"Except we'd never make it into the building," Cleo muttered.

"I can try to talk my mum out of it," Emma suggested.

"Wait! I got an idea!" Rikki suddenly exclaimed. Emma and Cleo looked at her expectantly. "You guys head downstairs. I'll be right down."

"What are you going to do?" Cleo asked. Rikki had a sparkle in her eyes and she was smirking with satisfaction.

"You'll see. Trust me on this one," Rikki said. Emma felt uneasy, considering Rikki's last idea almost got them sent to a hospital. But she knew that Rikki had learned her lesson from that-as they all did-so she hoped Rikki knew what she was doing.

"Okay. Just don't do anything that's dangerous," Emma warned.

"Don't worry. I got this." Rikki flashed Emma a grin. Emma and Cleo turned away and left to return to Lisa and Annabeth.

Rikki focused her gaze on the window and at the rain pelting against it. She raised her hand and opened her palm. This time, she felt electricity coursing through her body, travelling and directed through the veins connected to her open palm. She summoned and pulled that electricity as she began to curl her fingers down and slowly close her hand into a fist. The storm outside was calling to her and it suddenly sounded ten times louder in her ears. But remaining calm and focused, Rikki imagined the exterior of Emma's house, on one particular spot on the roof. Instead now, Rikki felt her electricity calling to the storm. Although her body remained unchanging, she could feel herself pulling the storm and pulling it towards that one spot on the roof. Her fist closed, and there was suddenly a booming roar of thunder, powerful enough that the whole house shook. And then it was silent. There wasn't a sound of the electricity or the air conditioning humming. Rikki glanced at Emma's electric clock on her nightstand, but the screen was black and blank. Satisfied, Rikki smiled at her work and went downstairs.

Percy was ahead of Rikki, practically jumping down the stairs to the others in a frantic manner.

"Is everyone alright?" Percy demanded.

"We're fine," Annabeth reassured. "Just startled."

"I think we may have gotten struck by lightning and knocked the power out. I'm going out to check to see if there's any damage," Lisa informed as she slipped on a raincoat and pulled the hood over her head. Just as Lisa stepped out into the rain, Rikki had entered the main level.

"Man, what was that? Nearly scared me off the toilet!" Rikki said casually. Cleo stared at Rikki wide-eyed and Emma narrowed her eyes.

"I guess we were struck by lightning," Percy murmured. He glanced at Annabeth with a concerned expression.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Annabeth assured, but she kept her gaze steady with Percy's. The two were silently wondering if there was a reason to the bizarre lightning, but secretly prayed to the gods that it was simply an accident. Usually with them, it's not.

Annabeth rose to her feet and walked over the window. She looked outside while Percy watched her. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki were having a silent conversation between each other. Emma was trying to scold Rikki with her eyes for overdoing it. Annabeth looked around. She spotted Lisa walking around examining the house, but aside from that, there wasn't anything monstrous lurking about.

Percy cleared his throat and Annabeth shook her head at him. Just then, Lisa reentered the house.

"There's no fire and I can't see on top of our roof. But as you can see, our power's knocked out for the time being," Lisa informed, sliding out of her coat and hanging it on the rack.

"So does that mean we can't go shopping?" Rikki asked with an innocent twirl of her curls around her finger.

"I didn't realize the weather would be this bad. It's not a good idea. Sorry, girls. And even if we wanted to, the power is out. I can't get the garage open to pull the car out."

"That's a shame," Cleo said with a forced sigh. The girls tried to suppress their relieved grins. Rikki's plan had worked, even if it was an extreme one. Rikki gave Emma a proud look and a smirk and the corners of Emma's mouth twitched.

"I'm going to give Neil a call. Nobody open the fridge," Lisa warned, walking away.

"Well, I, uh, gotta...go...use the bathroom…" Percy muttered. He turned around and headed back upstairs.

"Thanks for sharing," Emma said disinterestedly.

"Wonder if he's constipated," Rikki joked quietly. All four girls snorted and laughed.

"Gross, Rikki," Emma chided with a giggle.

"I think he just ate something bad. Or ate too much," Annabeth suggested. Rikki shrugged.

Upstairs, Percy closed the bathroom door and locked it. He held out a hand to the sink and began to connect to the water sitting in the pipes. Magically and slowly, Percy pulled the water out of the pipes and lifted it into the air. While suspended, he waved his hand and the water transformed from a thick liquid tendril to a mist that surrounded him. He pulled a drachma from his pocket and tossed it into the mist.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering," Percy recited. "I need to talk to Jason Grace."

The mist fizzled in midair and shifted around. With a rainbow shimmer, the mist transformed into the image of New Rome. Leo Valdez was tinkering something at a desk, shrouded in darkness with the only source of light coming from a lamp. He looked up at the message appearing before them.

"Hey! Percy! My man. Whazzup?"

"Nothing much, dude. Have you seen Jason?"

"I am so hurt you'd rather talk to Jason than to me," Leo mocked an expression of hurt. Percy snorted. "He's sleeping. Why are you calling at five in the morning? Is there trouble?"

"No. Why are you up at five in the morning?"

"Touche. Can't sleep. Got too much on my mind and I usually feel better when I take something apart and put it back together," Leo explained with a sheepish grin. "Now why are you up?"

"It's like ten AM here."

"And here is where?"

"Australia?"

"Dude, you're in Australia!?" Leo cried, his eyes bulging. "You never told us you were in Australia! I thought you were over at Camp Half-Blood! How come you went to Australia and how come you didn't bring me?! I love my kangaroos!"

"Family vacation. I got family here. It was my mom's idea," Percy replied.

"You got family there? What, like a mermaid for a cousin or something?" Leo teased with a smug grin. Percy rolled his eyes.

"This is my mom's side of my family, not my dad's. So there's no mermaids or anything. Just regular human beings. Which is such a great breather after everything that's happened," Percy admitted. "Now where's Jason?"

"Can't a dude enjoy a conversation?"

"Sorry, man. I don't think I'm in trouble, but I really need to talk to him now. Can you go wake him up?"

Leo let out an exaggerated groan.

"I guess," He said dramatically. He flashed Percy a smile before walking out of the picture. Percy stared down at his fingernails while he waited for the boys to return. He occasionally waved a hand to keep the mist uplifted and continue the message.

After a moment, Jason had come into the picture and he flopped down in Leo's desk chair. He was dressed in his wrinkled pajamas, his blonde hair was a mess, and he was struggling to keep his blue eyelids from drooping.

"What is it, Percy?" Jason groaned sleepily. He yawned.

"Good morning," Percy grinned at him, but Jason only gave him an irritated look. "So, this is a weird question. Is your dad mad at me?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Unless you did something stupid. Why? Did you see him?" Jason asked, slowly growing more curious.

"No, I didn't see him. But I guess you could say he made himself known," Percy answered. Jason arched an eyebrow. "I'm staying at my aunt's and the house just got struck by lightning."

"You know, the other day I was surfing but I got hit by this wave, so I think your dad is mad at me," Jason said. Percy frowned at him. "It's probably nothing. It was probably just an accident. Or maybe my dad was mad at you at something you did. Did you fly to your aunt's house?"

"No, we went by ship."

"Did you do anything to make him mad?"

" _Everything_ I do makes him mad," Percy reminded with annoyance in his tone. Jason shrugged and leaned back.

"Don't know what to tell you."

"Can you tell me how to get the power back on?"

"Just because I'm the son of Jupiter, doesn't mean I'm an electrician. You're better off asking Leo." Jason sighed. "Where even does your aunt live? It's like five now."

"Australia. It's ten here."

"You have an aunt in Australia?"

"And an uncle that's the king of Olympus."

Jason chuckled.

"Alright, I get it. I'm going back to bed. Hope my dad's not actually mad at you. If he is, sorry buddy. Don't know what else to tell you."

Percy nodded. "Thanks anyway."

"And you better bring me back a souvenir."

The Iris Message faded and disappeared. The mist in the room evaporated and Percy chuckled at Jason's remark. He had already planned on spoiling Annabeth and completely forgot about the others. Percy looked out the window, silently prayed that Zeus wasn't out to get him, and then left.

"Neil said he'd call someone to come to our house and work on the electricity," Lisa announced when Percy came back down to the living room. He also spotted Sally and Paul entering through the front door, completely drenched.

"We didn't expect it to rain today," Paul said. Percy smiled, trying to suppress a laugh at the sight of his parents. They were smiling themselves, laughing at the situation instead of grumbling. Lisa rushed to get the couple some towels and urged them to change of their clothes.

"How'd it go up there?" Annabeth asked Percy. Her tone was teasing, but her eyes were questioning.

"Fine, I guess…" Percy shrugged. He grinned at where Annabeth sat in her chair before he lowered himself onto her lap. "I think I'll take a seat right here."

"Percy!" Annabeth groaned. She shifted herself and tried to push against him, but he leaned back. Annabeth huffed. In this position, she was trapped under his weight. It wasn't terribly uncomfortable, since she always had enjoyed having Percy close to her and feeling his warmth, but still purposely awkward for her.

"Move! You weigh a ton," Annabeth playfully punched his back. He laughed and twisted his neck to look behind himself at her. He was grinning widely and Annabeth smiled, but rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'll move." Percy surrendered as he lifted himself onto the wide arm of the chair. Annabeth muttered a thank you as she exhaled deeply.

"Percy, Mum's talking about getting the pictures out," Emma warned quietly. Percy's eyes widened.

"I can't wait," Rikki said with a smirk.

Percy swallowed thickly. "Pictures? Does that mean what I think it means?"

"What does it mean?" Annabeth asked. Percy avoided Annabeth's gaze, his expression embarrassed. "Baby pictures?"

"Of Em too!" Percy pointed out. Emma scowled.

"They were embarrassing for the both of us. They shouldn't be dug up. You guys can't see them," Emma explained.

"Lucky for you, we're stuck here," Cleo reminded. Emma sighed.

"Maybe we can find them before Aunt Lisa does," Percy suggested. "And we can hide them from her."

"Hm. Yeah, that might be a good idea," Emma agreed, a smile slowly forming on her lips. "She can't get upset if she can't find them, right? She'll just think they're lost."

"Exactly! Do you know where they're kept?"

"Unfortunately, she keeps them in her room," Emma answered grimly. "The albums are in a drawer in her dresser. I can go get them if you can distract her."

"I'm on it," Percy reassured. "You can hide them in my duffle bag, if you want. She'd never think to look there."

"Good call. Thanks. Let's hurry before our parents beat us to them."

Percy and Emma rose from their seats and walked swiftly upstairs together as Rikki, Cleo, and Annabeth giggled at the sight of the cousins.

"Kind of a bummer. I was really looking forward to seeing pictures of them," the brunette admitted.

"Me too. I haven't seen many baby pictures of Percy," Annabeth agreed.

"Don't worry, you guys," Rikki said calmly. "We'll get to see the pictures. All in good time."

"What are you planning?" Cleo asked.

"Nothing." The devilish glint in her blue eyes betrayed Rikki, but with such a look on her face, she didn't seem to care. A silence settled among the girls; Rikki kept wearing a smug expression on her face and Cleo stared at the floor while biting on her nails. The rain continued to pelt the windows endlessly, lightning brightening the darkened living space, followed by low and long rolls of thunder.

"So how 'bout the weather?" Annabeth asked. "Does it rain like this normally?"

"Not normally," Cleo answered. "It's usually really bright and sunny. But sometimes it rains, and when it does rain, it gets crazy like it is right now."

"That doesn't stop you, does it? You know, the power doesn't normally get knocked out and you're still able to go to school and stuff, right?"

"Yeah, and it sucks too," Rikki said disinterestedly, picking at the fabric of the chair she sat in. Cleo chewed her bottom lip. Annabeth frowned.

Why did something feel off to her? The feeling was absurd. Logically, there's nothing wrong. Emma and her family are nothing but kind human beings who are related to Percy via his normal mother's side of the family. Cleo and Rikki were Emma's friends and also their age, and they seemed like regular teenagers too. And Australia was a wonderful place, perfect for a vacation, aside from today's weather. Save for restless nights, Annabeth was relaxing and enjoying herself greatly on this family vacation. It was almost perfect. Annabeth guessed the uneasy feelings were leftovers that she continued to carry with herself after Tartarus and the war. She's never had such a vacation before. She just has to remind herself that there's nothing to be nervous of, nothing to fear, nothing to be prepared for or fight for. Percy would tell her she's overthinking everything.

"I just don't know where I put the darn things," Lisa muttered as she stepped downstairs. She stopped at the bottom with her hands on her hips, brows furrowed, and lips pursed as she stood deep in thought. Sally and Paul were trailing behind, dry with damp hair and in fresh clothes.

"They should be around here somewhere, Lisa. It's not like you to misplace things," Sally added.

"How could I have lost whole entire albums?"

Cleo, Rikki, and Annabeth exchanged sneaky smiles and stifled giggles amongst themselves.

"Mum!" Emma called from the top of the stairs.

"Did you find the albums?"

"No! But we can do something instead! Percy and I found the board games!"

"You all are so going down at Monopoly!" Percy chimed from above.

"Ugh. Board games are _so_ boring with the Gilbert's," Rikki complained under her breath. "They're all about fairness and rules and honesty and talking about their feelings. This is it. This is going to be the death of me. I can see it now."

"C'mon, Rikki. It's not that bad," Cleo urged with a hopeful smile. Rikki rolled her eyes.

"It might be interesting this time," Annabeth protested. "Percy can get so competitive sometimes. It might be fun to watch."

Annabeth's prediction was right. Throughout the day as the storm continued on, the eight played several different types of board games and card games sprawled across the living room floor. They played in pairs or in teams at times, and some other times some chose to sit out. But like any family game day, true colors emerged and heated arguments broke out between everyone, from Rikki versus Percy to Lisa versus Sally. When Elliot was dropped off, he walked into a mess of a dark house full where his family debated angrily over the real rules of UNO.

* * *

 **Author: okay so. I would like to clarify in this chapter. Yes, Percy could beat Emma's actual best swimming time with his powers and all that. But he can only do that if he actually knew what her best time was and was actually trying to beat it. Percy was hardly trying in this chapter because one, he knows he doesn't need to try to be able to beat her. And plus, he needs to act normal, just like Emma has to do too. And also, I may seem like I'm making Emma seem like a bad guy, but I also just don't want to undermine her swimming capabilities prior to when she became a mermaid. It's easy to forget that she was a champion swimmer and she's been training since she was a baby, and we all know how stubborn she can be, so of course she's going to be one helluva challenge to beat for anyone, save for sons of Poseidon. Does that all make sense? Hope you all understand where I'm coming from this. Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author: smol spoiler alert about this chapter: it follows the episode from season 2, "Moonstruck." This episode was one of my favorites, so I couldn't resist. It also may help to put into perspective the time frame of where our mermaids are in this fic in reference to the canon series. The difference is, we got a couple of demigods in the mix. But you'll see majority of the lines are from the episode. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: guess I should have done this before, but definitely needs it here. I obviously do not own H2O or Percy Jackson!**

* * *

Emma, Cleo, and Rikki walked through Emma's front door, each dragging large pieces of cardboard behind them. Rikki had a roll of duct tape around her wrist.

"Em, are you sure you have the house tonight?" Cleo asked.

"Yup. Originally, my parents bought four tickets for this overnight out of town thing for the four of us. But then Aunt Sally came and surprised us, so my mum thought we shouldn't go and just spend the weekend here with them. But after talking her out of that, she gave the other two tickets to Aunt Sally and Paul instead of Elliot and I. I convinced Elliot to go spend the night at a friends house. As for Percy and Annabeth, they'll be gone all day and tonight they'll be out with a dinner and a movie. So they won't be back until late," Emma explained.

"When they do get back, won't they ask about the windows?" Rikki pointed out.

"Probably not. They'll probably be too tired to notice. And if they did ask, I'm sure I'll think of something to cover it up."

"Is anyone here now?" Cleo asked, prompting the girls to examine their surroundings.

"Hey, Percy!" Emma called up the stairs, but received no response.

"Looks like the coast is clear. Let's get to work on sealing this baby up," Rikki said with a tug on the duct tape roll.

The trio spent the afternoon covering every window in the whole house with cardboard held together by duct tape. No light could enter in the large home, not even through cracks or corners; it was entirely sealed off.

"Well, I'm done," Cleo announced from the kitchen sink. "No moonlight will be getting into here."

"Not even a pinprick?" Emma asked, skeptically pressing a hand against the covered window over the sink. "I'm checking, Cleo. I don't want to turn into a pumpkin."

Suddenly, the front door flung open. Without saying a word, Percy went bounding down the hallway and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Annabeth came around the corner to the kitchen where the other girls were gathered, frozen in surprise.

"Annabeth," Emma greeted, forcing a smile. "You and Percy are back early. Did you go to dinner?"

"No," Annabeth replied half-heartedly. "Percy's been feeling sick all day. I think he ate something bad this morning and has food poisoning. He was getting worse so we came back here." Annabeth paused and looked at the cardboard covering all the windows. "Why are the windows like that?"

"We got them redone while you were gone," Emma lied. "They have to stay covered all night, so don't remove them or anything."

"You redid _all_ the windows in your house?" Annabeth cocked a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well, I didn't. My mum did. This was like this when we got back after my shift at work and my mum told me what I told you."

Annabeth opened her mouth to continue, unconvinced, but Emma noticed this and continued.

"You guys don't mind if Cleo and Rikki stay over, right?" Emma asked Annabeth. "We'll be camping out down here just watching movies."

"Yeah, that's fine. We're probably going to just hang out upstairs. Probably go to bed early if he's like this. Can't do much else anyway."

"Hey, guys! Am I on time? Do you need any help?" Lewis's voice echoed inside the house. He came around the corner and stopped, his expression falling at the sight of Annabeth.

"On time for what?" Annabeth questioned.

"Our movies. Lewis isn't going to be staying over night, but he'll be watching a movie with us," Cleo added. Just then, Percy came stumbling out of the bathroom. His skin was pale and sweaty and his dark hair was a mess.

"I'm gonna...be upstairs for a while…" he informed, staggering up the steps.

"I'm going to be up there with him so you probably won't see much of us," Annabeth said. "Enjoy your movie."

"If you need anything, feel free to ask." Annabeth nodded gratefully and followed her boyfriend up the stairs. The four watched the couple disappear upstairs before letting out sighs of relief.

"What are they doing here?" Lewis asked quietly.

"Apparently, Percy has food poisoning," Emma answered bitterly.

"Are you going to be okay here with them? Do you need any help setting up?"

"We just finished," Emma assured.

"We've pretty much got it down pat these days," Rikki chimed with pride. Lewis nodded, his heart sinking, but he tried to mask his disappointment by lowering his gaze to his feet.

"You telling me you don't need me?"

"Well, we've got DVDs, popcorn, and each other," Emma pointed out.

"But what about your cousin?"

"You heard Annabeth. He's sick so he's probably not going to be around except in his room or the bathroom."

"Maybe I should stay for one DVD, just in case. You did tell Annabeth I was," Lewis offered.

"We can tell her you had an emergency or something."

"Yep, we're saying we don't need you," Rikki said. Lewis nodded and rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly.

"Okay. If you're absolutely sure…"

"We're sure." Rikki grabbed a stack of DVDs from the counter and moved away from the blond towards the living room. "Besides, don't you have other things to do these days?" Cleo turned her head away and played with strands of her ponytail.

"Fine." Lewis turned away and headed to the front door. "Okay, well, um, good luck and, yeah."

Lewis made his leave and the girls began to settle themselves in the living room. Annabeth was right. They haven't heard or seen the couple since they had unexpectedly returned from their day trip.

"It's five minutes to moonrise. Where's Cleo?" Emma asked Rikki.

"She's outside checking the blackouts."

"Oh, well, I better go and get-" Rikki stopped Emma by reaching out and touching her elbow.

"She knows what time it is, Em. Don't be a stress head."

"Kind of hard not to when we aren't as alone as we'd like to be," Emma huffed.

"We haven't heard a peep from the lovebirds since they got back and I'm sure we won't hear from them until morning."

Emma sighed, "okay. Is everything secure upstairs?"

"Let's go have one last check."

As Rikki and Emma ascended the stairs, there was a knock on the front door.

"It's not locked! Come in before it's too late," Emma called. She and Rikki silently agreed that the best place to check first was wherever Percy and Annabeth were at. Annabeth wasn't on her air mattress in her room, and Percy wasn't in Elliot's. Emma's heart had stopped, but immediately started back up when she and Rikki found the couple in the guest bedroom. They were sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard and watching the TV on the stand across from the bed.

"Oh, there you guys are," Emma greeted, concealing her breath of relief.

"Sorry. We came in here because I wanted to stay with Percy, and we didn't want to stay in Elliot's room for when he came back, and we thought you'd like your space in your room," Annabeth explained.

"Oh, you're fine. Thanks for being so considerate. Elliot's staying a friend's tonight anyway," Emma informed.

"We kinda wanted to sleep on a real mattress for the night too. And watch the TV in here," Annabeth admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Where is everyone?" Cleo's voice called faintly from below.

"Up here!" Emma called back.

"How's him?" Rikki asked, eyeing Percy. He was sitting next to Annabeth on the bed, leaning against the headboard. His face was still pale, but no longer sweaty, and his hair was still messy. He looked like he had perked up a bit, but also seemed dazed.

"Who, me?" Percy asked, snapping from his daze. "Well, I've been better. But I've been worse too."

"Still...you know?"

"Nah, I've stopped. My stomach still hurts, but thankfully, no more gross vomiting," Percy replied with a small smile.

"You should keep drinking fluids, so you don't get dehydrated," Emma suggested. Percy suppressed a snort.

"Yeah, I will."

"And maybe you should try to get some food in your stomach. We have some saltines, if you'd like," Emma added.

"I am kinda hungry," Percy agreed. Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled.

"You're always hungry. I'll go get you some," Annabeth moved to rise off the bed, only to be stopped by Rikki.

"We'll get it. Save you a trip," Rikki offered.

"We have to find Cleo anyway. She's probably looking for us," Emma added. She gave Rikki a look, silently reminding her the occurrence outside. Rikki returned the expression with a small, subtle shrug.

Just then, the said girl waltzed into the bedroom. She was trying and failing to suppress a grin as she leaned against the wall beside the doorway.

"Found her," Percy joked.

"Cleo, there you are," Emma greeted. "Let's go get something to eat."

Emma and Rikki walked out the spare bedroom, but Cleo remained from where she was. She brought a hand to her mouth and giggled into her knuckles. Annabeth and Percy exchanged confused expressions.

"What's so funny?" Percy asked. Rikki stopped and walked backwards through the doorway, watching Cleo's strange behavior.

"Coming?" she asked the brunette. Cleo uncovered her mouth and moved her hand to her chin.

"Why don't we go for a swim?" Cleo suggested. Rikki's eyes widened with surprise and confusion, but a smile was on her face. She glanced at the puzzled couple on the bed before stepping in front of Cleo.

"What?" Cleo suddenly reached out and clasped Rikki's shoulders with her hands.

"We must swim to Mako Island!"

Rikki's smile faltered as she turned her head around to see Annabeth and Percy.

"Mako Island?" Annabeth repeated. "You can't swim there. You'd need a boat, wouldn't you?"

Rikki disguised her nervous expression with a reassuring smile.

"I think Cleo's already had too much caffeine for the night. And when Cleo has too much caffeine, she gets a little silly," Rikki reassured. "Cleo, we obviously can't swim to Mako Island. C'mon, let's go over here."

Rikki clasped her hands over Cleo's wrists, which were still on Rikki's shoulders, and pulled her out of the guest room. Annabeth and Percy shrugged.

"Cleo, what's gotten into you?" Rikki demanded when she brought the giggling girl into Emma's bedroom down the hall. Cleo brought both hands to her lips as she stared at something away from Rikki. She began to move forward, and Rikki waved a hand in front of the brunette's face. Cleo didn't react and Rikki's hand fell to her side.

"Oh, no," Rikki groaned.

* * *

When Emma descended the stairs, she stopped short at the bottom. Standing next to her kitchen table-that was dressed with fine dinnerware, candles, and a tablecloth-was Ash. Emma's mouth fell open at the sight as she gathered the words to speak, but they were getting caught in her throat.

"Ash, what are you doing here?"

"Dinner is served," Ash announced, removing the silver lid to the platter, revealing steaming, delicious looking Italian food.

"Dinner?" Emma repeated. "But I-"

"I thought I'd be bold," Ash cut in with a warm smile.

* * *

"Cleo, the moon has got you." Rikki took Cleo with one hand and closed the bedroom door with the other.

"We can swim," Cleo said cheerfully. "All of us. You, me, Emma. We can even invite Percy and Annabeth too!"

"No, we can't. Percy and Annabeth aren't mermaids, remember?"

"But we'll love it!"

"No, we won't," Rikki protested, ushering Cleo over to the bed and sitting her down on the edge. "I won't love it, and neither will you." Rikki seated herself at Emma's vanity across from Cleo and sighed heavily. "We completely sealed this place up. How did this happen?"

Cleo hung her head as she giggled quietly to herself. "I touched the moon."

Rikki tried to suppress a smile, but failed and moved over to sit beside the giggling brunette.

"Great," Rikki muttered sarcastically.

* * *

"Ash, you've got to go," Emma insisted as she pushed the taller man towards the front door.

"I just got here," he complained.

"Look, I can't! It's not right."

"If you want me to go, I'll go." Ash stopped in front of the front door and raised his hands in defeat. He reached for the front door knob, but Emma immediately swatted his hand away from it.

"No! Don't touch that!" Emma protested. If he opened the door now, there was a very good chance that Emma would catch sight of the moon and get moonstruck. But what was she supposed to do? Ash was staring at her with a puzzled expression and he had to leave, he couldn't stay here on the night of a full moon, but he couldn't open their airtight lockdown.

"We can't open it," Emma continued. "You just...stay there and don't go anywhere and I'll-"

Ash gently clasped his hands over Emma's raised one as a smile returned to his face, "you don't want me to go, do you?"

Emma could only stare at him in shock, all words and coherent thought abandoning her.

"Come on. It took me ages to cook all this." Ash led the blonde back into the kitchen where the dinner awaited for them untouched on the table. "Pasta, your favorite. And there's dessert in the fridge. It would be crazy to waste this." Emma opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it. "Sparkling mineral water, not flat, I remembered. Come on, a toast."

Two glasses of said mineral water were already poured when he served the dinner, and he brought one into Emma's hands. A smile began to tug on the corners of Emma's lips.

"To surprises."

Emma was hesitant to take a drink, but once Ash brought the cup to his mouth, she found herself doing the same. Her shoulders relaxed and Ash grinned in victory. He pulled out the dining chair and gestured for Emma to sit, which she did with some hesitation. Once she was seated, he scooted her under the table and went to start serving the Italian pasta. He expertly decorated Emma's porcelain plate with the pasta.

"There's just a hint of chili. I didn't think you'd mind that," Ash said. He placed her plate in front of Emma before resting his hands on the back of her chair.

"I didn't even know you cooked."

"Only on special occasions." Emma blushed. "And I think you're pretty special, Emma."

Emma swallowed thickly and tried to regain control over her heartbeat as she turned her head around to face Ash. She hated how he made her feel so many things at once. She had never experienced such feelings before, not even when she was crushing on Byron. Ash would look at her, and Emma could melt at his cheerful, hopeful, warm, tender, everything gaze. And then he goes...and he says stuff like that...and he says such sweet things so close to her, closer than any other person, close enough where they could both just lean in...

Their silence was broken when footsteps on the staircase were heard. Both badly startled, Emma and Ash froze on the spot. It was revealed that the owner was Annabeth, who stopped short in the middle of the kitchen, surprised to see the sight of the couple.

"Annabeth-"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Annabeth quickly apologized.

"Oh, no, you're not interrupting anything," Emma reassured with an embarrassed smile. Ash looked from Emma to Annabeth with curiosity.

"Um, hello. Who's this?"

"Annabeth. She's...my cousin's girlfriend…" Wow, it sounded really weird to introduce someone like that, Emma thought.

"Oh, right. Your cousin is staying with you," Ash murmured.

"Yeah, but he's sick. We're just hanging out upstairs in the spare bedroom," Annabeth said. "Sorry, I didn't know you had a date tonight…"

Emma blushed and she mouthed to the other blonde, "neither did I."

Annabeth couldn't help but smile. This was partly due to embarrassment for walking in on a romantic dinner, but also partly due to the cute sight here. It did also make her secretly wish she and Percy would have been able to make their romantic dinner out.

"Percy's been complaining that he's hungry and I came down to get some crackers and water for him."

Emma mentally cursed and chided herself for forgetting about her food poisoned cousin. She had been so caught up with Ash that she had already completely forgotten about him. And she had promised she'd bring him something to snack on so he wouldn't be going hungry!

Emma's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of more footsteps descending the stairs and the sound of Rikki's voice calling her. Rikki appeared behind Annabeth, but her blue eyes went wide, darting from Annabeth, to the dinner table, to the couple.

"Ash?"

"Rikki," Ash greeted half-heartedly. Rikki could not mask her surprise, but she did attempt to hide her nervousness and fearfulness.

"What are you doing here?" Rikki asked.

"What are you doing here?" Ash returned. Rikki opened her mouth and said nothing.

"Uh, I...get lonely when my parents go away?" Emma replied.

"But you have your cousin and his girlfriend," Ash pointed out. Emma looked at Rikki for help, but Rikki was already looking at Emma for the same thing.

"Actually, Percy and I weren't even supposed to be here," Annabeth injected. "We had planned a night out, but I guess he ate something bad this morning and now it's coming back at him. So we had to come back here and Rikki and Cleo were already here."

"What _are_ you doing here now?" Rikki made a small gesture to the setting and the situation.

"Getting some crackers for Percy," Annabeth answered. She then turned and started to search the cabinets for a box of crackers, but not before flashing Emma and Rikki a quick look. Ash said nothing and instead moved around the table.

"You and me, we need to talk now," Rikki said. She was looking at Emma intensely with an odd expression, silently trying to convey a secret message to the blonde. Emma furrowed her brow at Rikki's face.

"So talk."

"Upstairs. There's been a-development." Rikki made a wide gesture with both of her arms. Emma inhaled sharply.

"You mean?"

Rikki nodded stiffly. "Mmhm."

"A development?" Annabeth repeated, rising from her crouched position with a box in hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"Rikki just said there's something. You can stay here and enjoy your date and I'll go up and help," Annabeth offered.

"It's something only Em can handle. Nothing's wrong. It's just a...development," Rikki protested.

"But-"

"Hey, do you hear that?" Rikki cut in. Annabeth gave her a quizzical look. "Don't you hear it? I think...I think that's Percy hurling again…" Annabeth's hopeful expression fell and she immediately turned on her heel and rushed up the stairs. Emma hopped to her feet and headed towards the staircase, but stopped when she remembered Ash was still there watching her.

"Uh, Ash, you're going to have to leave." Ash's brow furrowed as he outstretched his arms in frustrated confusion. "No, wait. I'll go upstairs and deal with this."

"This what?" Ash demanded.

"This problem. You just stay right there." Emma and Rikki ascended the stairs briskly as Ash plopped into the dining chair.

* * *

The pair of blondes went to Emma's room, but the door was left open and it was empty of Cleo. After exchanging nervous expressions, Emma and Rikki ran across the upstairs in search for the moonstruck brunette.

"I like swimming. Do you like swimming?" Cleo asked Percy in the guest bedroom. She was leaning against the wall again, twirling her ponytail, and Percy was sitting on the bed as he was before.

"Yeah, I like swimming," Percy responded uncertainly. Cleo laughed and then plopped on the edge of the mattress at the foot of the bed.

"We should go swimming to Mako!"

"Right now?" Percy asked. Cleo covered her mouth to stifle another laugh and nodded. Just then, Annabeth rushed into the room with a box of crackers in hand. She would have relaxed to see Percy as she had left him, but jealousy flared when she saw Cleo on the bed with him.

Percy saw something flare in Annabeth's grey eyes, and grew nervous. He _did not_ want to be in trouble with Annabeth again.

"Percy, you're alright," Annabeth said, but her voice was anything but gentle. "What are you doing in here, Cleo?"

"Do you want to go swimming, Annabeth?" Cleo suggested with a bounce to her feet. Before Annabeth could respond, Emma and Rikki dashed into the room behind her.

"Cleo!" They called. Cleo burst into a fit of giggles.

"Is she...on something?" Percy asked quietly.

"I wish," Rikki muttered. She wove around Annabeth and grabbed the brunette by the wrists.

"Sugar," Emma said. "Lots and lots of sugar. And it's really late. She's just overtired and hyper, that's all. We gotta get her to bed."

"What about the development? And your date with Ash?" Annabeth pointed out. Percy's jaw fell open.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! You're on a date right now?" Percy demanded. "Who's Ash? Where is this guy? Who said he was good enough for my only sister?"

"We're cousins, not siblings, Percy," Emma groaned.

"You're the closest thing I got to a sister! I can't believe you're on a date right now and you didn't tell me-" Percy swung his legs off the bed, but he lurched before he could get on his feet. "Damn this food poisoning!"

"You'd feel a lot better if we all went swimming," Cleo announced. Emma and Rikki scowled. Rikki dragged the brunette out of the room and Emma watched Percy nervously.

"I'll take care of him. You go do what you need to do." Emma flashed Annabeth a grateful smile before following her friends down the hall.

"I am Percy Jackson! There is no way something like food poisoning is going to bring me down!"

* * *

"Mako will be beautiful now," Cleo said in Emma's locked bedroom.

"Sorry, Cleo, you're not going anywhere." Emma turned on her heel to the other blonde resting against the door. "She saw the moon. How did this happen?"

"Don't look at me," Rikki protested.

"It must have been Ash." Cleo's head dropped in a snort. Rikki grinned at the mention of Emma's date awaiting them down below.

"What's he doing here?" Rikki asked.

"He said something about being bold."

Rikki pursed her lips to suppress a knowing smile. Sure, it was her advice, but this was far from what she expected. Cleo covered her mouth to stifle another laugh. Emma glanced back at the brunette sitting cross-legged on Emma's bed, and Cleo bowed her head to avoid catching an icy glare. Emma whipped her head back around at Rikki and pointed an accusing finger at her.

"I saw that!"

"What?"

"That look!" Emma straightened onto her feet and Rikki stared at Emma's desk.

"What look? We didn't have a look," Rikki lied, her eyes darting to Cleo as Emma closed the space between them.

"You knew about this!" Emma accused with an eyeroll. "What did you say?"

Rikki grimaced, finally meeting the other's gaze. "We didn't say anything, much." Cleo snorted into her fingers, earning a silent scold from Emma. "Come on, we didn't think he'd actually come around here."

"On a full moon!"

"Yeah, I know. It's kinda...bad timing."

"Bad timing," Emma repeated with a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, he brought me dinner. How do I get rid of him?"

"You could send Percy down there," Rikki teased. Emma rolled her eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't get rid of him. It's a fairly mild version of moon fever. I can handle Cleo."

Both girls looked at the girl mentioned, who seemed to find great interest in her own hand.

"You sure?"

"Sure I'm sure."

"But Percy and Annabeth are right down the hall."

"Yeah, so?" Rikki countered. "Afraid they're going to see Cleo turn into a werewolf? Please, Emma. They think Cleo is just acting weird but they'll get over it." Emma's expression was unconvinced. "Look at her, she's a puppy, she's not going to hurt anyone."

"The moon is silver," Cleo informed. "I like silver!" Cleo's laughter was contagious. Emma brought a hand to her forehead, but she was giggling as well.

"Oh!"

"What did I tell you?" Rikki said as a matter of factly. "Come on, it's your big chance. He's down there waiting. For you."

"But-"

"Em, we can't change anything now. Cleo and I will just have to sit this out." Cleo nodded eagerly in agreement. Rikki opened the door behind her. "I'll keep watch, and you go back to Ash. Okay?" Rikki circled behind Emma and pushed her towards the open door. "Go!"

Emma couldn't help but feel slightly relieved and did not resist Rikki. She walked at a quick pace with a smile on her face to return to Ash as Rikki closed the door behind her. Rikki turned around to watch the now-pouting Cleo.

"I want my tail!"

* * *

Downstairs, Emma and Ash were eating the expertly prepared pasta. Emma had to admit, it tasted amazing. She definitely wanted to eat whatever he cooked again. This was something she could get used to.

"So how long is your cousin going to stay here?" Ash asked when there was a lull in the conversation.

"I-I'm not exactly sure, to be honest. Nobody ever specified it. But they came in town for my mum's birthday, which is coming up soon, so they should leave not much longer after that," she replied.

"And where are they from again?"

"The States. New York City." Ash nodded. He didn't know what to make of Percy and Annabeth. Then again, he'd only met Annabeth for about thirty seconds, so there really wasn't anything to make of either of them. But Ash supposed that it really wasn't a big deal anyway.

"Rikki and Cleo are both staying upstairs too?" Thinking of the two mermaids-one of them currently moonstruck-made Emma stiffen in her seat. But she forced a smile and remained calm.

"Yeah, they're watching tv." Which wasn't entirely a lie. They could be, for all Emma knew!

"They come all the way to your place to watch tv?"

"Sometimes."

"You need to get out more."

Emma was not liking where this conversation was going. It wasn't feeling right lying to Ash-it only unsettled her more and made her grow defensive when she didn't need to be. The blonde rose to her feet. She had to act more natural and casual. Be cool and everything will go great.

"I get out. I'm always out. I'm usually not home on a Saturday night," Emma said as she walked over to the couch in the living room. Ash scooted out from under the table and followed her. "Out having fun, you know, doing fun things."

Ash smiled at her knowingly as he plopped down beside Emma.

"I have a feeling that you have secrets. Which is cool. You'll tell me when you're ready."

Oh, dear God, send help. Emma propped her elbows on the top of the couch and took a subtle breath to lower her rapid heart rate. He's sitting so close to her! And, more importantly, Ash was trying to get close to her secrets. The last thing Emma wanted to do was reveal to Ash that she grew a tail ten seconds after touching a drop of water. Emma turned away, suppressing a blush, and glanced at the stairs. When she looked back at Ash, his expression was calm and gentle with a friendly waggle of his eyebrows.

* * *

Upstairs, the door to Emma's bedroom opened to a crack. Rikki and Cleo poked their heads out into the hallway with wide grins on their faces. After looking around for any sign of Emma, Ash, Annabeth, or Percy, the pair silently skipped over to the bathroom and closed the door behind them.

Neither girls said anything aside from the giggles falling from their lips as Cleo plugged the bathtub drain and Rikki turned the faucet. From then, both eagerly watched the water pour into the tub and fill it up.

Cleo stared longingly at the water and then finally raised a hand to hover over it. Immediately, Rikki smacked her hand away.

"No! This water's for Emma," Rikki reminded. The girls then burst into giggles.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, bringing the girls out of their laughter.

"No!" Cleo whined.

"Hey, uh, are you going to be long? I really-really gotta get in there," Percy's shaky voice called.

"No, I don't think this will take long at all," Rikki replied, exchanging cheery grins with the brunette at her side.

"So do you think maybe I could, you know-" Percy brought a hand to the doorknob. Rikki extended her hand to use her powers to heat the metal knob. Percy yelped at the searing pain and stumbled backwards, shaking his hand to cool it off. "What the-"

"No!" Cleo repeated. "You'll ruin the surprise!"

"We're naked, Percy!" Rikki joked. And thus the two girls were laughing once again. Percy's face twisted into one of disgust.

"No thanks," Percy quickly walked away from the bathroom door and made a beeline to the next bathroom, which was the master bathroom connected to the master bedroom. Aunt Lisa and Uncle Neil wouldn't mind, right? After all, it was an emergency and he clearly couldn't use the hallway one.

* * *

Not much later, the tub was full, and the two moonstruck mermaids went downstairs. In the meantime, Annabeth flipped through the channels on the TV lazily. Percy was in the bathroom, feeling extreme stomach cramps, and was told to just wait for him in there. The blonde sighed and leaned her head back against the headboard as she dropped the remote to her side. Something felt off to her. What it was, she couldn't tell. But something wasn't right.

"Right, that's enough!"

Rikki and Cleo let out high pitched squeals as they raced upstairs with Emma storming after them. Instincts kicking in after hearing those noises, Annabeth rushed out of the guest bedroom to find the source of the cry, her hand resting on her hidden dagger.

"Stay here! Just stay put, I'll be back in a minute. Don't come upstairs!"

As Emma followed the two girls, she pulled out her cellphone, but stopped short when she saw Annabeth in the middle of the hallway.

"I heard...someone scream?" Annabeth said, uncertainly, removing her hand from the inside of her jacket. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine!" Emma snapped. Annabeth was startled by the outburst and Emma noticed this, immediately regretting losing her cool. "Everything's fine. Cleo and Rikki are just messing around. Please just go back to Percy and continue watching TV."

"Actually, Percy's in the bathroom. His stomach is acting up again," Annabeth informed. Emma masked her expression but on the inside she was screaming.

"Sorry to hear about that. Maybe you guys should turn in and try to get some sleep?" Emma suggested. "If you excuse me, I need to make a quick phone call."

Emma turned away from Annabeth and turned on her phone. She had Lewis on speed dial for emergencies like these. Not the first one on her speed dial, but it was handy. She walked briskly to the end of the hall towards her bedroom.

Annabeth, on the other hand, couldn't help but silently and slowly follow the other blonde. Something didn't seem right. Perhaps it was just Emma's date going wrong, but Annabeth could tell that everything was not fine, and Emma may or may not be trying to keep Annabeth and Percy away from whatever it was.

"You need to come over now," Emma commanded quietly into her phone. "Oh, Lewis, forget what we said-Okay. We're sorry. We need you. Happy now?-Good. And hurry, it's an emergency."

Emma turned around and Annabeth immediately side stepped out of her view. She wasn't an eavesdropper and she didn't want Emma to get the wrong impression. But that phone call just confirmed that something indeed was going very wrong, and it wasn't just Emma's date.

Percy walked unsteadily out of the master bedroom into the hallway where the girls were gathered. Emma went to him, with Annabeth coming around to hopefully perceive she came from a different direction.

"How are you feeling?" Annabeth asked.

"Better-I guess," Percy muttered.

"What were you doing in my parents' room?"

"Well, Cleo and Rikki were-occupying-the bathroom," Percy answered. He winced, remembering the brief conversation the three shared earlier.

"What do you mean by occupying? What were they doing in there?" Emma demanded.

"Beats me. They said they were naked-"

" _What!?_ " Emma and Annabeth cried. Annabeth glowered at Percy with her eyes filled with a storm of jealousy and anger. Emma gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists in annoyance.

"I'm going to kill them," Emma growled. "Percy, you go get some rest now. And Annabeth, please stay with him. I'm going to take care of those two."

Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks. Percy immediately regretted looking at the dark look in Annabeth's eyes. They said nothing and returned to the guest bedroom at the other end of the hall. Annabeth closed the door loudly before turning around to face Percy with her arms folded across her chest.

"So they were naked, huh?"

"Yes-no! I-I don't know!" Percy was sweating under Annabeth's scrutinizing gaze.

"Were they or were they not, Percy?"

"It's not what you think, Annabeth. I swear-"

"Mhmm."

"Whether or not Cleo and Rikki were actually naked, I don't know, because I didn't see anything. When I tried to open the door, it was burning hot-"

"You _tried_ to see them?" she hissed. Percy's eyes widened in realization of what he just uttered and mentally smacked himself upside the head.

"No-yes-but not like that! That was before they said they were naked!" Percy protested. "They said they'd be out-it was an impulse-I thought I was going to get sick right then and there so I tried getting into the bathroom! But the doorknob was really hot and THEN they announced they were naked and that's when I ran off to find another bathroom!"

Annabeth's frown deepened and pursed her lips, saying nothing. Out of all the scary things he's faced in the last five or six years, an angry Annabeth won them all.

"I didn't see anything and I didn't want to, Annabeth! I'm not that big of an idiot, am I?" Annabeth gave him a look. "I'm sorry, Annabeth. This is all just one big misunderstanding. Nothing happened and nothing will. Well, Cleo and Rikki ARE acting weird, so I don't know what they're going to do but I swear I'm not encouraging this or anything!"

Percy's eyes were pleading like a puppy. Annabeth's gaze softened before lowering to the ground as she let out a sigh, dropping her shoulders.

"Sorry. I should have known better," Annabeth admitted. "I don't know. I guess I might be a little antsy sitting around and nothing is trying to kill me. And Cleo and Rikki seem like good girls, but they're also very pretty girls too."

"Wise Girl, there is no other girl in this world who even compares to you," Percy said with a grin. "Aphrodite's got nothing on you." And then he froze, his eyes darting around nervously. "But please don't let her know that. Hate to get on a another god's bad side."

Annabeth giggled and smiled at her boyfriend. Man, when did she get so lucky?

"You do have a knack for it, Seaweed Brain." Percy grinned. "Something weird IS going on, though. I'm not sure what. I think it has something to do with Emma's date downstairs. It might be going wrong. Or her friends are trying to ruin it."

"Kinda explains the way their acting, but if Cleo and Rikki are Em's friends, why would they ruin a date for her?"

"I don't know. It's bad enough though that Emma is calling Lewis over for help. Said it was an emergency." Annabeth shrugged. Their conversation was interrupted by high pitched squealing and giggling.

"Emma! Emma! Are you okay?" Ash's voice called from below.

"Is that her date?" Percy asked. Annabeth nodded. "He's not better looking than I am, right?" This earned a snort and an eye roll from the blonde.

"You think we should go help her out? Or should we stay out of it?"

"Do we ever stay out of it? C'mon. We can at least ask," Percy replied.

"Are you feeling up to it? I can just go-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Wise Girl. Much better thanks to somebody." Percy swung open the bedroom door and made his way out, Annabeth on his trail.

"Apollo?"

"Yeah. Apollo."

When the couple walked down the hall, chuckling quietly to themselves, they spotted Cleo and Rikki standing side by side, facing the corner to the bathroom.

"Emma? Are you in there?" Ash's voice called.

"Yes, Ash." The words dripped from Emma's tongue through the door.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Percy asked as he approached the trio.

"Yes, everything's fine!" Cleo squealed. Ash stopped and straightened himself at the sight of the newcomers in the hallway, his brow furrowing.

"Um, Annabeth," Ash guessed the blonde's name. "And you're Emma's cousin?"

"And you're Em's date?" Percy returned.

"Well, I don't really know. What's going on?"

"That's what we came here for. We heard some noises and yelling and wanted to make sure everything was alright," Annabeth informed.

"If there's something wrong with Emma, I should go check on her, being her cousin and all," Percy suggested.

"No!" Cleo and Rikki hissed, blocking Percy's path.

"This is something for Emma and Ash only!"

"You'll ruin it!"

"Ruin what?" Percy and Ash demanded in unison. The two boys exchanged puzzled expressions and Ash made an irritated gesture with his arms.

"Ash?" Emma called in a low tone. Ash leaned in to hear.

"Yeah, Em, I'm here."

"Come in, I've got something to show you," she beckoned wistfully. "No more secrets."

Ash looked at Rikki and Cleo, who were bouncing where they stood. Then his gaze traveled to Percy, who was frowning deeply, and then over to a very uncertain Annabeth. Sea green eyes widened in realization as Percy's jaw dropped.

"No! No, no, you guys are _not_ doing anything like that! Not while I'm around!" Percy snapped.

"Do what? I'm just trying to see what Emma wants!" Ash protested.

"If Emma needs something, she should be asking me!"

"I thought you had food poisoning!"

"Yeah, but still! I'm her only family in this house at the moment. So if it's a personal problem, I'm the guy to take care of it!"

"It's not a problem, silly!" Rikki injected.

"It's a solution!" Cleo squealed. Ash, Annabeth, and Percy stared at the strange, giggling girls. "Now, go on, Ash! She really wants to see you in there! It's _so_ important!"

Ash looked back at Percy. His face was a mixture of anger and confusion. And then he looked back at Rikki and Cleo, who were nodding eagerly. Annabeth reached for Percy and said something to him quietly, suggesting to maybe leave them be, much to Percy's distaste, as Ash leaned into the bathroom door again.

"Emma, are you sure you want me to come in there?" Ash asked nervously. Percy folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm sure," came Emma's soft reply. "Then you'll understand."

Ash sighed and reached for the door knob. Just as he did so, Lewis broke through the four gathered and lunged at the door knob. Percy and Annabeth yelped in surprise and looked around quickly, wondering where the blond came from.

"Lewis!"

"You cannot go in there!" Lewis announced.

"Okay, what is going on?!" Ash demanded angrily. Rikki and Cleo turned to each other and started giggling amongst themselves.

"It's a very good question!" Lewis agreed. He moved quickly behind Ash and started urging him away from the bathroom door. Ash moved reluctantly with a puzzled expression as the group parted for the two boys. Lewis pushed Ash down the hall to the stairway, with Cleo and Rikki trailing behind. Percy and Annabeth remained.

"Maybe I should go see if Emma's okay," Annabeth suggested. "Being a girl and all."

"But I'm her family!"

"Yeah, but it might be a girl problem. Do you want to help Emma with a girl problem?" Annabeth pointed out, placing her hands on her hips. Percy groaned.

"Gods, I hate girl problems," he muttered. Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Let me just see if she's okay, okay? And she needs a girl friend, then you can go in." Percy stepped forward and brought a hand to the door.

"Ash?"

"No, it's me, Percy," Percy replied. "Ash left. Do you need some help? Do you need me to come in there?"

"No!" Emma snapped. "Go away, Percy! I don't wanna see you!" Her voice turned into a whine and Emma's expression twisted into a pout as laid in the bathtub water.

"You wanted Ash to come see you!"

"Yeah, because I was going to show him something! I don' wanna show you!" Emma's arms flailed to her sides into the tub, splashing water angrily everywhere. "You ruined my date, Percy! You ruined my whole night!"

"Look, Em, I'm sorry," Percy reached for the doorknob and brought the handle down.

"Percy!" Lewis's voice called. As quickly as he appeared the first time, Lewis jumped in front of the other young man, smacking his hand off the silver handle. Percy jumped, startled, and nearly swung a punch at Lewis before stopping himself. "You cannot go in there either!"

"But you can?" Annabeth questioned, arching an eyebrow. Lewis opened his mouth but no words left immediately.

"Well-yeah," Lewis stuttered. "I mean, Emma and I have been friends for a long time now. I'm like a big brother to her!"

"I'm like a big brother to her! We're _actually_ related! If anything, you should leave!" Percy complained.

"Yeah, but, well, you haven't exactly been through the same things that Emma and I have been through, you know? We have a different kind of bond. Right now, Emma's not herself and I need you two to just go back to your room and stay there," Lewis explained. Percy's anger disappeared and disappointed frustration replaced it in his eyes. His gaze traveled from Lewis to Annabeth and back to Lewis, before his shoulders dropped in defeat.

"Okay. Fine." Percy moved past Lewis and Annabeth as he sulked back to the guest bedroom. Annabeth threw one last glare at Lewis before following her boyfriend. Lewis exhaled deeply from all the breath he held in, and rested against the bathroom door.

* * *

Soon enough, the night grew to fade and the sun rose. The three mermaids awoke to bright sunlight filling Emma's bedroom. Very groggily, the trio made their way down the stairs.

"Does anyone remember what happened last night?" Emma asked.

"Not me," Cleo confessed.

"I remember Cleo being moonstruck, but," Cleo rolled her eyes and turned away from them to the kitchen. "After that is blank."

"You were both affected and I followed you into the bathroom." The girls walked into the kitchen. Emma stopped at the sight of the dinner table, still decorated with burnt out candles and fine dinner plates full of pasta. "Ash! Ash was here!"

"He was?"

"He tried to put on a romantic dinner, and then-"

"What?"

"I have no idea what happened then…" Emma admitted with a furrowed brow, a frown etched into her features. The sound of footsteps on the stairs snapped the girls out of their puzzling thoughts. Percy walked into the kitchen lazily and yawning loudly before he realized he realized he wasn't alone. His mouth curved into a frown and remained silent as he turned away and opened the fridge. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki all exchanged nervous expressions, silently asking each other what happened to Percy and Annabeth last night.

"Hey, Percy," Emma greeted. She cleared her throat and smiled in effort to settle her nerves. He didn't glance up. "How are you feeling? Any better now?"

"Fine." He pulled out the carton of orange juice and closed the fridge door with a slam, a sound that startled the three mermaids. Percy's green eyes still didn't meet Emma's blue ones.

"Um, you sure you want to drink that? It's not going to upset your stomach, is it?" Emma pointed out.

"I said I'm fine!" Emma narrowed her eyes at her cousin.

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of bed today," Rikki muttered under her breath.

"What's with the attitude?" Emma demanded.

"You want to talk about attitude?" Percy snapped, finally turning to face the blonde. Emma folded her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, I do. What's your problem?"

"You're the one who has the problem," Percy accused. "I was just trying to help you last night. But apparently, I ruined your date! I ruined your whole night!"

"You didn't ruin my night!" Emma protested. "You were in your room the whole time. I never even saw you!" Percy scoffed.

"That's right. You didn't. You never left that bathroom! You were going to try and seduce your boyfriend in there!"

Emma's jaw dropped as horror spread across her face. She looked at Rikki and Cleo, who had similar expressions of surprise and horror. Cleo covered her mouth and Rikki tried to suppress a laugh.

"I-I- _what!?_ " Emma cried. Percy rolled his eyes.

"And of course, _my_ ass was the one that got chewed, because Lewis can do no wrong," he muttered sarcastically. Emma stepped closer to her cousin.

"Percy-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of that to happen," Emma said, reaching a hand to his shoulder. "I wasn't myself last night. But that doesn't excuse my behavior. And I'm very sorry you were at the receiving end of it." Percy's eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed slightly under Emma's hand. "I have a lot of problems. You wouldn't really understand them, and you wouldn't want to. But I'm working on it. I really am. I don't want to ruin your vacation. Can we just...forget last night ever happened?"

Percy dramatically rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "I guess." A wide grin spread across his face. "We all have our nights. But you owe me one for this, especially if you don't want our parents to know about it."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not."

Emma scowled. "Okay, fine. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

* * *

 **Author: wOW OKAY THIS WAS WAY LONGER THAN I PLANNED I AM SO SORRY but I hope this was as fun to read as it was to write! Man oh man Percy just can't seem to catch a break! But trust me, I'll make it up to you guys in the next chapter!**

 **As always, please review! They're very encouraging and they help me tons!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author: eyo it's your friendly neighborhood Spiz here!**

 **Remember that one episode, "The Gracie Code: Part 1?" And remember how Emma was mysteriously missing the entire time? Hardly mentioned?**

 **Here's where she's at in that time being.**

 **Thanks for the reviews! Please feel free to leave more or give me any critiques to help me improve this story!**

 **Disclaimer: nah bruh**

* * *

There were apologies to go all around between Emma and some people in her life. In effort to make it up to Percy, Emma decided to take him horseback riding. It was actually Elliot's idea, but Ash _did_ want to apologize to Percy for giving the wrong impression, and Percy _did_ want to get to know Emma's supposed-boyfriend. And Emma thought that a trail ride on the warm, sunny day would be quite enjoyable. And, of course, Annabeth was eager to ride a normal horse on the ground.

"And this is Rebel," Ash introduced the brown coated horse as he brought him out of his stall by the reins. "This is my horse, but Emma's going to take him out for today." Ash lead the horse to where Percy and Annabeth stood outside the stable. "Why don't you guys watch him and get acquainted while Em and I go get the rest of the horses?"

"Sure!" Percy took the reins into one hand, and used his other hand to pat Rebel's neck. Ash and Emma smiled at the other couple before turning back into the stable of horses.

"Hey, Rebel. How's it goin'?" Percy asked.

 _"I'm very good, thanks. Who might you be?"_ the horse returned.

"I'm Percy, and this is Annabeth." Percy jerked a thumb towards himself, then to Annabeth, who was on the other side of the horse. Annabeth rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Part of me feels like someone is trying to show off," Annabeth muttered with a shake of her head. Percy stroked Rebel's light colored mane.

"She's just jealous," Percy whispered. "Excited for a ride with Emma today?"

 _"Oh, yes. I love Emma. She's real kind. She saved my life once,"_ Rebel answered.

"Oh, yeah?" Percy arched an eyebrow. "How'd she do that?"

 _"There was this one day I accidentally ate some poisonous plants. Ash did everything he could but nothing was working. I was very hot and my stomach hurt so bad. And then Emma came back and she did this thing to keep me cool all night. She made ice fall from the sky,"_ Rebel explained with a snort. Percy furrowed his brow and looked at Annabeth across from you.

"Emma made ice fall from the sky?" Percy repeated. Annabeth frowned. "You mean like...dumping a bucket of ice on you?"

 _"No, no, it wasn't like that,"_ Rebel replied. "There wasn't any bucket. It was just her and me in my stall. And the ice was real soft, not like regular ice."

"So it was like snow?" Percy asked uncertainly.

 _"Yeah, maybe it was snow! I've never seen snow before, but if I did, I bet it would look like that! And after spending the night with the snow and Emma, I felt much better. I was cured!"_

"So, one more time," he said. "Emma saved your life _by making it snow_ on you while you were sick?"

 _"Yes, sir!"_

"She can't make it snow. It doesn't even snow in Australia," Annabeth protested. "Are you sure Rebel knows what he's talking about? Or that your ears are working properly, Seaweed Brain?"

"Hey, guys!" Emma's voice beckoned their attention. She and Ash exited the stables with three horses of different shades of brown, all properly suited up, in tow.

"Do we need a quick lesson before we go? " Ash offered.

"Nah. I'm an expert when it comes to horses," Percy smoothly answered with a smug expression. Ash looked unconvinced.

"When I first met Emma, she also claimed to be an expert," Ash informed. Emma scowled and glared at the smiling brunette while Percy snorted. "And it's slightly more concerning hearing this from one of her family members. You sure you don't want to cover some of the basics?"

"I'm sure. I ride all the time. I even got my own horse," Percy reassured.

"You got your own horse?" Emma questioned skeptically. "Seriously? I've been asking for a pony since I was six. And you live in an apartment in the city. Where can you even ride your horse? Downtown?"

"We go riding all the time at our summer camp," Annabeth cut in. "So we can assure you that we can just get started."

"Alright, fine. Can we get going now?" Emma asked impatiently. Ash chuckled.

"Sure. Let's hop on and hit the trails. And remember, you want to get on facing forward," Ash reminded jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah."

It took Emma two tries, but she was able to swing herself onto Rebel's saddle securely. Percy and Annabeth did the same, after Percy teased Emma, but also proving to Ash that they were both capable of riding horses without extra instruction.

The four rode on an old trail, one of many, through the forest surrounding the stables. It was a bright sunny day, but thankfully there was enough shade to shield everyone from feeling too much heat. The afternoon was lazy and quiet, save for the sound of the horses' whinnies, birds chirping, and bugs buzzing.

"So, from the States, hm?" Ash asked Percy as their horses trotted side by side to each other. "How do you like it here?"

"It's a lot warmer, to say the least," Percy replied. "I'm from New York, so it's always cold up there."

"Get snow and everything?"

"That's an understatement." Both boys chuckled at the remark. "It's a nice place, though. And this is too. The beaches are great, and I haven't seen this side of my family in a long time either."

"Yeah. I can imagine. Traveling between two different hemispheres must be quite the challenge," Ash mused. Percy nodded. "So, you go to summer camp? Are you a counselor?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Annabeth's one too." Percy's never thought of them being technical camp counselors. They were head counselors for their respective cabins, but that was definitely something different from what Ash would be thinking.

"That's cool. What do you do there?"

"Uh-"Swordfighting, climb a rock wall that dumped lava and boulders on you, waged battles, capture the flag, flew on pegasi, hung out with a few gods, sometimes there were dragons, just to name a few. "We sing songs."

Laughter interrupted the boys' conversation and prompted them to turn around. Annabeth immediately covered her mouth to stifle her laugh, but was failing. Percy grinned and winked at her before looking back at Ash.

"You know, we sing songs around a campfire every night. But during the day, I teach kids how to ride horses. Annabeth teaches them...how to...build things? And, you know, all of your other basic camp stuff. Stuff you'd normally see at a regular summer camp. Friendship necklaces, teambuilding, all that," Percy explained. Ash nodded in understanding and Percy inwardly sighed in relief.

"Are the wages fair?"

"Wages?" Percy repeated. _Ha. That's an idea. Getting paid to lay down your life for a bunch of gods that have frequent temper tantrums._ "Nah. We volunteer."

"That sounds great," Ash said. "You must really enjoy it, hm?"

Did he enjoy it? There were extraordinary people at that camp-Chiron, who was almost like another dad to Percy, Grover, his best friend. And there was of course, Rachel and Nico and Clarisse and Piper and Leo and Will-and let's not forget everyone from Camp Jupiter; Jason, Frank, Hazel, Reyna. Were the gods assholes? Yes, most of the time. Was fighting monsters on a daily basis fun? Not particularly. But did Percy enjoy it? _Yes._

"There's nothing else like it," Percy responded with a smile. "That's how I met Annabeth. When I first started going when I was twelve."

"Wow. That's quite a bit of time," Ash murmured. Silence began to hang and Ash glanced at Percy from the corners of his eyes. Percy's face was relaxed and his expression was calm, his sea green eyes unfocused on anything particular, and simply taking in the peace of nature. Ash cleared his throat to earn Percy's gaze on him. "So, hey, um, I kinda wanted to talk to you about the other night. I would like to apologize to you for everything that happened. Nothing of that sort was going to happen, and there was no intention for it."

"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that too," the demigod admitted, fondling the leather reins between his fingers absently. "I was thinking about it for a while. Emma kinda explained everything to me. I guess _maybe I did_ overreact _a little_. And maybe I _shouldn't_ have judged you so quickly."

"Oh, no. It was very easy to insinuate such a thing and I should have made everything perfectly clear on my part," Ash protested.

"You probably would've if you could, but I don't think anything was clear that night." Percy sighed. "Em's like a sister to me, ya know? I don't have much for family and it has been a pretty long time since I've seen her, so I can't help but get a little protective of her. Somebody's gotta, right?"

"I completely understand and I respect that. You would make a great brother." Percy chuckled before giving Ash a reassuring smile. He immediately thought of his half-brother, Tyson, and hoped it was true. "So, are we-you and I-are we cool?"

Percy chuckled before nodding. "Yeah, we're cool. As long as you don't do anything to hurt Em. If I hear that you do, I'm coming for your ass."

"I can assure you that the last thing I ever want to do is hurt Emma in any way," Ash said. He glanced back at said young woman, who seemed to be in deep conversation with the other blonde.

Annabeth was listening intently to what Emma was saying, but a shift in the shadows caught the corner of her eye. Suddenly, all of Emma's words didn't seem to reach Annabeth as her head turned in search of anything suspicious. Her grip on the horse's reins seemed to tighten and her posture stiffened. Annabeth forced her breathing to slow and quiet down enough for her to listen, but nothing was to be heard. However, something darted out of the corner of Annabeth's other eye, on Emma's side.

"Hey, Percy?" Annabeth called hesitantly. Her boyfriend didn't seem to hear, for he was riding ahead of her and conversing with Ash. Rebel slowed in his trot and Emma looked around.

"C'mon, Rebel," she urged. "Not getting tired already, are you?"

Annabeth peered at the wooded area, but there was no movement. She shifted her grey eyes to Emma. The blonde didn't pay any mind to the demigod at the moment, instead was patting Rebel's neck and muttering inaudible phrases.

"Percy," Annabeth tried again. Percy glanced back this time and craned his neck to give Annabeth a questioning look.

"Yeah?"

A loud, high-pitched neigh immediately followed by a sharp squeal tore everyone's attention to the source: Emma desperately clung to the high-rearing Rebel, who frantically kicked at the air.

"Emma!"

Percy and Ash jerked their horses' reins to turn them around. Rebel brought his hooves down into the dirt. Behind the foursome, the underbrush off the trail started rustling wildly. Birds lifted into flight to the sky and Rebel went into a frenzy. Instead of flying away, however, the flock of birds circled above, but the teenagers were preoccupied settling down their horses to notice their surroundings. Rebel shuffled his hooves wildly before breaking out into a run off the trail.

"Rebel!" Emma screamed. The horse didn't listen, only ran, and all the mermaid could do was grip on for her life and screech.

"Emma!"

All five birds circling above suddenly dove into the three remaining riders. They narrowly avoided each one, but Ash nearly fell off his horse. Just as quickly as they had swooped, the birds flew into the woods at an amazing speed, heading in the same direction after Emma and Rebel.

"Can't I catch one break?" Percy grumbled. After a few tugs and some choice words, his horse was able to settle down and Percy led his horse after the birds and Emma. It was impossible to fully understand what was happening, but he knew that Emma was in danger and could be seriously hurt if he didn't get to her. Listening to her distant shrieks only made his heart stop, but he continued forward. He couldn't see Rebel or his rider, but he could see the flock weaving themselves through the trees.

At first, Percy wondered that the strange birds were just part of Australia's incredibly dangerous natural wildlife. The birds were probably the size of hawks, but with extended necks like ducks. Their feathers were a shiny, inky black. Instead of bills, the birds had long beaks that _gleamed_ like his sword in the sunlight.

Speaking of, as Percy drew near the birds, he uncapped his pen and unleashed his sword, Riptide. His horse was quickly closing the distance between him and the birds and Rebel's figure was now visible. Very tiny, pretty much a brown dot, but visible. And judging but the continuous screaming, Emma was still on the frenzied horse.

Suddenly, all five birds gave one great flap simultaneously and dozens of metallic feathers shot forward like darts at Emma. The blonde didn't dare look back, but she felt them whiz past her head, badly startling her.

Percy rode up to the closest bird and the one flying the lowest. He swung his blade down on it fiercely and it hit it's beak, only to bounce back scratched and faltering, but no real damage taken. Apparently, that WAS real bronze. Celestial Bronze, even. Percy uttered a curse and the bird squawked at him before sharply turning its beak at him. The demigod lurched his body out of the way to avoid getting swiped by the sharpness, but the bird circled back around to try again.

This time, Percy adjusted his grip on the hilt. Just before the bird attacked, Percy powerfully brought the hilt of the sword down on top of the bird's head. The strength of his counterattack was enough to send it into the dirt with an angry cry. Sure, it didn't turn to dust like Percy would have liked to have it done, but at least that's one less freakish bird firing feathers like they were knives.

The birds never formed any kind of formation; they just flew as they pleased, and very angrily so. They flew closer to the ground and wove through the trees. Percy's interference, albeit to a single bird, slowed the entire group and they had not shot anymore razor feathers towards Emma.

Just then, Annabeth leapt onto the scene on her horse, one hand clutching the reins and the other holding her trusty Celestial Bronze dagger. She rapidly approached one of the birds and tried striking her blade on it like Percy, but also failed. Before the bird could do more than caw, Annabeth reached her dagger under the bird and shot it skyward into its underbelly. Like all monsters, it instantly turned into golden dust, caught and carried by the wind.

One bird was very unhappy with the killing of the other and circled over to the blonde. With another great flap, many razor feathers shot at Annabeth all at once. She yelped and jerked her horse with one hand while the other gripping the dagger was raised to shield herself. Some were deflected off the blade and one even grazed her tanned forearm. The bird swooped in and Annabeth drove her dagger straight into its underbelly as it flew directly above her. It instantly turned to dust and rained upon her.

Two down, three to go. Annabeth wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her forearm. She lowered her arm and noticed there was a thin red line marring it, blood slowly starting to ooze out of it. A squawk from behind pulled the demigod's attention. One of the monster birds must have fallen behind-probably Percy's doing, Annabeth guessed-and it's beak shone in the sun and into Annabeth's eyes.

Percy was accelerating towards Rebel. Emma's fingers were curled around the reins but were no longer pulling against them, instead just gripping so tightly that her knuckles were white. He couldn't see her face, for it was buried in the horse's reins. She had her blue eyes squeezed shut, but Percy couldn't see that. She was screaming, Percy could hear, despite being muffled by the mane, and he wondered how one girl could scream so much for so long.

After finally reaching Rebel's side, Percy extended a hand to his neck. He neighed loudly in surprise.

 _"Get away from me!"_

"It's me, Rebel," Percy said in a calm voice, his hand soothingly stroking Rebel's neck. "Hey, it's me. Remember? Percy. I'm here and Emma's here too."

 _"And those monsters are too! They're after me! They're trying to kill me!"_ Rebel protested.

"No, they're gone. They're all gone. We got rid of them. Nothing's trying to kill you," Percy reassured.

 _"They're everywhere!"_

"No, it's okay. We got rid of every last one of them. You're safe now. So please, stop running. There's no need. Please, slow down. You're scaring Emma."

At the mention of her name, Emma dared to look up. She yelped at the sight of Percy, even though her throat was already aching from her cries. Her cousin was at her side, on his horse and he was fixated on Rebel, but he was here.

"Percy!? What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Here to save your butt," Percy joked. The mermaid was not convinced, but her blue eyes were filled with fear and worry above all else.

 _"Emma could make them go away,"_ Rebel said. _"Emma can do anything. She's saved my life before and she will do it again. She can freeze those monsters."_

"I'm sure. But there's no need. Everything's okay. You're safe and protected. There's nothing to be afraid of," Percy said to Rebel. Emma raised her brows at Percy because before anything else, Rebel began to slow in his run. He was slowing down and began to trot. And then he came to a stop in the middle of the field.

Emma sat up and her grip slowly loosened. The biggest exhale was released and her shoulders dropped. She nearly collapsed against Rebel's back, the relief was so great. She was exhausted from screaming and enduring such a wild ride and experiencing such heart-racing thrills. Breathing seemed to help ease her pounding heart.

Percy looked behind him and saw nothing but trees. The forest was quiet once again. He looked back at Emma, he grinned.

"Whew. What a ride, huh?" Emma glared at him.

"You weren't the one experiencing it!" Emma snapped. Percy threw his head back and laughed. Emma exhaled, but this time, it escaped as a giggle. She found herself laughing with him. Why? She didn't know. It was crazy. She could have died! And here Percy was, practically rescuing her. From what, she didn't know, but in that moment, it didn't matter.

"C'mon. We better head back to the others before they leave without us," Percy said, turning his horse around. "Ready, Rebel?"

 _"Ready!_ " he whinnied. Emma rolled her eyes. How could he do that with the horse?

"What was that? What scared him?" Emma asked as she and Percy through the newly created trail courtesy of Rebel, Emma in the lead and Percy following.

"Must've been some snakes. You know what kind of messed up things live out here in Australia after all," he replied. "You couldn't see anything?"

"Nothing. I heard some birds, but they were startled by Rebel. Other than that, I pretty much only saw everything flying past me, but I was trying not to look anyway."

Percy inwardly sighed with relief. Of course she couldn't see anything. The Mist would have disguised it well enough. He scanned the area for any of those evil birds flying around, and kept his hand over his pen, but found nothing.

Annabeth and Ash came into view eventually. Both were off their horses, but holding them by the reins, and talking to each other. At the sight of Emma, Ash rushed to her side.

"Emma! Are you alright?" He placed his hands comfortingly on Rebel, but his gaze was fixated on the blonde. He took her hand in his and assisted her off the horse.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Emma answered. "Just a little shaken is all."

As Ash spoke to Emma, Percy hopped down and immediately went to Annabeth, asking her the same. Annabeth assured him that he was fine, and promised that she had killed all the birds that were around, which were five of them.

"What in Hades were those things?"

"Stymphalian birds," Annabeth answered. "Man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers that they launched at us. They were Artemis's pets but they migrated and bred quickly. Also Heracles' Sixth Labor was to kill them."

"Those things were so annoying," Percy grumbled.

"We ran into them before. Remember the summer when we were thirteen?"

"Vaguely."

Annabeth punched his arm. "Liar. It was the summer that Grover got married and you turned into a hamster."

Percy glared at her and the blonde snorted. "Guinea pig, actually. See why I tried to forget that summer?"

"We faced some Stymphalian birds then," Annabeth said. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Why are they here? Why'd they attack us? Emma, of all of us?"

"Probably migrated here drawn to the tropical weather," she responded. "And they're hunters, since they were originally Artemis's pets. They might have sensed that we had our weapons and Emma may-have seemed like the weakest one and went after her to pick off the weak one for food."

"That was too close...thank the gods nobody got hurt." Percy ran a hand through his hair. After the words fell from his mouth, his eyes scanned Annabeth. His eyes fell on her scraped arm and Annabeth suppressed a scowl. "Hey, I thought you said you were fine."

"I _am_ fine," Annabeth huffed stubbornly.

"You're bleeding!"

"Sshh!" she hissed as her eyes darted to Ash and Emma, who didn't seem to be paying any attention. "Percy, I'm _fine_. It's just a scratch and it's hardly bleeding. I'll just wrap it up with my bandanna."

"Wrap it up and I'll take care of it when we get back, okay?" This time, Annabeth didn't stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Whatever, Seaweed Brain. You're overreacting."

"Hey, guys!" Ash called the demigods' attentions. "Let's walk back. Sound good?"

"Sounds good to us!" Percy returned.

Emma was staring down and scrolling through her phone. She got a few new text messages from her friends. She opened the most recent one, which was from Lewis, and it read: **"When are you free today?"**

Emma responded, **"Not sure. I'm out with Ash, Percy, and Annabeth."**

Her phone buzzed with Lewis's text reply, **"Can you meet us at Cleo's tomorrow morning? I got something BIG here!"**

"Earth to Em!" Percy shouted, startling the mermaid.

"Hm? What?" she asked as she immediately clicked her phone off.

"Ready to head out?" Ash asked. Emma blinked and it finally registered in her head.

"Yeah, I am. Let's get going."

* * *

 **Author: OKAY LAST NOTE**

 **I did a little bit of research, and by research I mean Wikipedia, for the birds. It said on there that they were in the "Sea of Monsters" but it's been so long since I've read that so I just kinda guessed there.**

 **SO IF I'M WRONG PLEASE CORRECT ME AND I'LL TRY TO FIX IT**

 **EITHER WAY YOU SHOULD DROP REVIEWS BECAUSE THEY MAKE ME SMILE PLEASE AND THANK**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author: hey guys! so this chapter is going to be canon divergent loosely following the Gracie Code Part 2! I'm just gonna respond to a few reviews real quick if you don't mind:**

 **To anaisonfire: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TELLING ME THIS. I hope that my birds didn't conflict with the SoM canon. Let's just say they bred and migrated and Australia being Australia, is actually a great home for some monsters. My birds actually prollie do stray from the canon, Riordan being a professional author and me being...well, as you can see, a lame fanfiction author lmao.**

 **To Ilysia11: OMG THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! I've always struggled with description and imagery. I'd be a much better screenwriter if I could haha. But I'm working on it! As for the dialogue, yeah, I realized I was doing it wrong all along! Unfortunately, I am quite lazy and I don't know if I'll go back and fix it tbh. Just a lot of work to go through all those chapters, but maybe I will after I finish this story!**

 **To the Guest with the requests pertaining to Miriam: you know, it's an excellent idea. But I just don't see Miriam coming into the story. The story takes place mid to end of season 2, and she hasn't been around since the end of season 1. So I would have to come up with some kind of explanation for her return, right? After being gone so long. And although she can definitely add some drama, Miriam would have nothing to gain from kissing Percy. Miriam would do things to gain attention or to stir up jealousy. The only person she would try to make jealous is Zane, but Zane has made it perfectly clear he has no interest in her. I don't see Miriam attempting to get back at Zane after that much time has passed, you know? And Emma hasn't done anything as of late to get on Miriam's very bad side to get her to kiss her cousin for revenge. There is a possibility of ANNABETH doing something to accidentally get on Miriam's bad side, but Miriam would probably not waste her time on someone who is only here on vacation.**

 **Also, I don't see it to be in Cleo's nature to ask Percy to pretend to date him to make Lewis jealous. It would be FAR TOO embarrassing for her to even ask him. She'll say things to Lewis to stir some jealousy, but if Percy found out, Cleo would pass out for feeling so humiliated. Besides, she'd never ask him because even if it would be fake, she wouldn't ask a guy who already has a girlfriend. She likes Annabeth and Cleo isn't THAT close or comfortable enough with Percy to ask. Just not in her character. If Percy was her childhood friend, that would be a different story.**

 **So you see, it is a pretty interesting idea, but I don't see it working out in this story. Sorry! I really appreciate the suggestion but I hope I was able to sufficiently explain to you why it won't be able to work here. I'm very glad you are enjoying my story and I hope you will continue to read to see what kind of drama I do have in store for future chapters.**

 **And to the reviewers asking me to update quicker: I appreciate your eagerness and love that you love my story, but I'm only going to go as fast as I'd like to. I do have other things in my life, being a full-time college student and part-time cashier. This story, although important to me, isn't my top priority in my life. So I will write when I can. Besides, my monster-sized chapters take time. I can't exactly sit down and do it all in an hour. Well, I could, but that chapter would be terrible, wouldn't it?**

 **Also, who's to say Percy and Emma are EVER going to find out each other's secrets? What they don't know can't hurt them, right?**

* * *

The following day, Emma awoke bright and early. She tiptoed around her room, careful not to awaken Annabeth, or anyone else in the house for that matter. Perhaps her mother or father were already awake as well, but she didn't bother to check.

Without taking a glance back, Emma was quick in her step down the stairs and headed straight for the front door. Just as her hand reached for the doorknob, a feminine voice from the kitchen called, "Good morning, Em."

The blonde jumped in surprise, stopping short and snapping from her thoughts. The voice was recognized as her Aunt Sally's and her assumption was proven true when Emma rounded the corner to take a step at the edge of the kitchen.

Sally sat at one of the barstools with both hands wrapped around a steaming mug. The scent of coffee hit Emma, and she wondered how she could have missed such a strong and distinct smell earlier. The older woman was still wearing her wrinkled pajamas, and her dark hair was mussed, but pulled back into a low ponytail resting lazily over her shoulder. Her eyes were tired, but a smile was on her lips, which Emma returned half-heartedly.

"Good morning, Aunt Sally," Emma returned.

"Whatcha up to? Heading out this morning?"

"Yeah. I'm going to meet the girls for a bit before I head to work," Emma replied.

"Ah, I see. Will we see you this afternoon after work then?" Sally asked. Emma winced slightly in sheepishness and shook her head.

"No, sorry. I've got to see the girls again. We kinda have to look at something together. I hope you don't mind," she answered.

"Shame. I've been wanting to talk to you about the plans for...you know, your mom's…"

"Right," Emma finished for her. "Don't worry. I got that covered for you. We can go over the plans tonight maybe if I get back in time."

"Do you need me to do anything?"

"Nope. Just for you to relax and enjoy your vacation," Emma reassured. She started to inch her way back towards the front door. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to get going."

"Alright, dear. I don't want to keep you. You enjoy yourself today," Sally said. "And remember, don't work too hard."

Emma chuckled and nodded, "I won't."

Sally watched the teenager turn on her heel and leave in a hurry. There was a sudden _pop!_ from behind, startling Sally. When she looked to the source, she was relieved to just see it was her toast.

A few hours later, Percy and Annabeth descended the stairs. The pair were fully dressed and were ready to go. Unlike Emm's beeline, the couple strolled to the living room, where Sally sat, now properly dressed, and was reading a book.

"We're heading out, mom," Percy announced. Sally looked up and smiled, closing her book between her fingers to hold her page.

"Where to? Going to meet up with Emma?" the older woman suggested.

"Nah. We're going to Mako Island. It's supposed to be really cool," Percy answered. Percy and Annabeth agreed to spare Sally and Paul the details of their horseback adventure. If they knew monsters were lurking around, they would likely not react well and would try to hurry home before the monsters attacked his cousin again. And this was supposed to be a vacation, after all.

"I heard it's supposed to be really dangerous," Sally countered. "Surrounded entirely by sharks."

Percy snorted and Annabeth suppressed a giggle behind her hand.

"Yeah, okay, mom," Percy said. "I'll be real careful around sharks. You know how they _terrify_ me."

Sally gave Percy a look and he stopped chuckling. "Percy, just be careful, okay?"

"I promise, mom."

"And be back before dark."

A tuneful ring interrupted the trio. Percy, Annabeth, and Sally exchanged glances and scanned the room for the source. A cell phone was buzzing against the granite countertops in the kitchen. Percy wiggled his eyebrows at the females before rushing to it.

"Percy," Annabeth warned, following him. "That's Emma's phone."

"I'm just going to take a message for her," Percy assured without sparing his girlfriend a glance. He picked up the ringing phone; the number appeared to be just a number without an obvious contact. "Besides, demigods don't get phones. Lemme have this just once."

Percy thumbed the green button to answer it and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Emma's phone?" A female voice returned. Percy didn't recognize it, but it was definitely has the Australian accent like everyone else in the country had.

"Yeah. She's not here right now. Can I take a message?" Percy asked. Annabeth rolled her eyes and her gaze drifted back to his frowning mother.

"Um-no, actually," she answered. "Thanks anyway." And the call ended. Percy heard the line drop and he held out the phone to examine the screen.

"Huh. My first real phone call and she hangs up on me. How rude," Percy grumbled. He looked back at the women who stared at him expectantly.

The sound of a door opening snatched everyone's attention; Lisa entered from the backdoor behind the kitchen casually. Her expression was pleasantly surprised at the sight of Sally, Percy, and Annabeth and she absently placed her leather purse on the counter.

"Good morning, everyone," Lisa greeted brightly. Her gaze trailed across all three of them before falling on Percy's hands. "Did Emma forget her phone?"

"Yeah, I guess she did," Percy murmured his response. "Annabeth and I are heading out. Maybe if we see her we can give it to her."

"She might be over at Cleo's house. You can swing by there, if you'd like. The Sertori's are the friendliest bunch," Lisa suggested.

"I guess we can do that. We're really just going to go exploring today," Annabeth chimed. "C'mon, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth turned to the front door. Percy flashed a grin to his mom and aunt before following his girlfriend quickly.

"Bye, mom! Bye, Aunt Lisa!"

* * *

Inside the Sertori household, Cleo held up a strip of old film from a reel as Rikki hovered a magnifying glass over it.

"Hey, it looks like Max fishing off the beach," Cleo suggested. "Like in our films."

"Fascinating," Rikki muttered, tossing the glass onto the bed and moving away. There was an unexpected, yet faint, ring from below. Cleo looked at Rikki and Emma uncertainly before setting aside the reel of film.

"I guess I'll go get that," Cleo murmured. Rikki and Emma shrugged, neither knowing who could be ringing the doorbell. Cleo left, Emma moved to examine the set up boards, and Rikki plopped down onto the bed while blowing air out between her lips.

The brunette was quick in her descent down the stairs to the front door. She tried to peer through the window, but it was too heavily decorated to make out more than just two figures. As soon as she opened the door, Cleo tried to hide her surprise with a smile, but her brows furrowed.

"Percy? Annabeth?" Cleo said. "What-what a surprise? What are you two doing here?"

"Hi, Cleo," Percy greeted with a smile. "Emma forgot her phone and Aunt Lisa told us she'd be here."

"Oh," was all Cleo could say. She glanced over her shoulder and gave a yell, "Emma!"

"Coming!" Emma's footsteps were heard against the creaky staircase. Cleo pursed her lips nervously and kept her hand rested on the doorknob. "Cleo, I gotta go. My shift-Percy?"

"Hey, Em!" Percy waved cheerfully. Emma's face had fallen and she looked at Cleo.

"You left your phone at home. We were just dropping it off," Annabeth informed. Percy outstretched a hand to reveal said phone in his palm. Emma subtly breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't help but feel tense at times when she and the girls were doing mermaid stuff around people who don't know the secret, even if all the mermaid stuff is one floor up.

"Thanks." Emma accepted it gratefully and smiled at her cousin before turning her head to Cleo. "Cleo, I got to go. My shift is going to start soon."

"Okay. You're coming back after, right?"

"Right. See you guys later." Emma's look was almost apologetic, but she masked it well with a harder one. Percy and Annabeth parted for Emma to step past them and make her leave down the driveway.

"Are you guys busy? Annabeth and I were going to go out and explore a bit. Wanna come?" Percy offered. Cleo shook her head a little.

"No thanks. We're kinda busy here. We're just working on a project," Cleo replied. Percy frowned.

"It's summer break. Why are you guys working on a project?" he questioned. The mermaid bit her lip. She wished Emma had stayed just a second longer to help her fib better.

"Um, in Australia, we have to do projects over break," she lied, toying with the end of her ponytail. "I mean, not _all_ of Australia, but _our_ school requires it. And with school starting soon, we don't want to get behind on it, you know?"

"Wow, that sucks," Percy grumbled.

"You guys need any help?" Annabeth offered. "I haven't exactly worked on any projects lately and I would love the mental exercise."

"No," she protested quickly. "We're fine. You wouldn't want to. It's really boring stuff. Like maps. And Australian history. I don't think you'd be too familiar with Australian history, would you?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Alright. But if you guys get stuck, feel free to let me know. Sometimes it's best if you get a second opinion from someone outside, you know?"

Cleo nodded and there was a pause, awkward tension hanging over them in the air.

"Well, we're going to head out then," Percy announced, absentmindedly picking at the hem of his shirt. "See you guys around."

The brunette was at a loss of words. She pursed her lips, nodded her head, and slipped a hand into her pocket. Annabeth gave her a farewell smile and eyebrow wiggle and the couple was off the Sertori porch.

For a moment, Percy and Annabeth walked without speaking down the sidewalk. The sunlight wasn't harsh, dimmed by the clouds drifting lazily across the sky, but giving no threat of rain. There was a breeze rustling leaves and disheveling the demigods' hairs and it lessened the usual intensity of the Australian heat. The silence was comfortable-the morning was pleasant, and Percy wondered why the girls preferred to spend the day indoors.

They strolled past a redheaded girl, who was walking briskly and with purpose in their direction and past them. Nothing was thought of it-Percy sidestepped behind Annabeth out of the way to let her pass and then returned to his girlfriend's side.

"So, how much do you think it would be to rent a boat for a day? I don't have much Australian money," Annabeth said.

"And what would we need a boat for?"

"We're going to Mako, aren't we?"

Percy didn't suppress a snort. "Yeah, and I believe you're going with a son of Poseidon."

Annabeth rolled her stormy grey eyes and gave her boyfriend a nudge. "Did you see how far it is? It's fifty kilometers off the coast!"

Percy merely chuckled at her response and draped his arms over Annabeth's shoulders, pulling her close against his larger frame.

"Wise Girl, that's nothing." Annabeth gave him a look. "Okay, it's not that bad. Think of it as a really long walk. It'll be way cooler to take our time under the waves than to speed across them, right? There's supposed to be a ton of reefs there."

"Apparently a ton of shipwrecks too," Annabeth muttered. "Or so I've heard. Most people apparently find it pretty eerie. No one goes there. Except for maybe one or two scientists."

"Why would scientists go to a deserted island? Too bored of their work?" This earned another, more forceful, nudge.

"The wildlife, Seaweed Brain! There's probably dozens of plants and animals we've never even seen before! And there was one guy who was studying the planetary cycles on Mako, but that's not important," she explained.

"Why would _anybody_ study _planetary cycles_ on an _island_?" Percy scoffed.

"Probably to see if there's a connection to all the shipwrecks. Like the Bermuda Triangle. Someone must've just been investigating some of the island's mysteries," the blonde mused.

"Of course, we know what's in the Bermuda Triangle," the son of Poseidon said, almost bitterly. "And we're never going to talk about it again."

"Talk about what? Grover getting married or you turning into a hamster?" Annabeth teased.

"It was a _guinea pig_ and you need to _stop_!"

* * *

After playful banter, the two demigods had made it to the beach. Percy used his powers to create a bubble for Annabeth. Although he didn't need it, he remained in the bubble with her, one hand fitting nicely into her's, and the other hand making the bubble move as they did under the water.

As they travelled to Mako Island, many sea creatures swam around them, but not without greeting Percy respectively. He was enjoying the attention a little too much and liked to remind Annabeth of it. But the view was absolutely stunning to her and she couldn't help but look in every direction of the deep blue underworld.

"So which sunken ship should we explore today?" Percy suggested. Dozens of them littered the ocean floor, debris splayed apart in every direction. Annabeth said nothing and they kept gliding through the water. Many of the ships looked fascinating and likely had an equally fascinating history to them. Some were old wooden ships, and some were new yachts. But the irritating thing was that most of them were totally destroyed when they sank. Although there were many ships, there wasn't much to go exploring.

"That one doesn't look so bad," Annabeth pointed to a small fishing boat. Across the back of the boat said, "Lorelei." "In fact, it's completely in tact."

"Yeah, but it doesn't look like much," Percy murmured. He glanced back at some of the larger boats in the distance. His girlfriend did have a point-as much as he wanted to explore the cooler, more interesting ships, they wouldn't get very far. At least this one they didn't have to go digging. In truth, the only debris surrounding the Lorelei was a couple of chairs and a damaged door that fell off its hinges.

"You never know. Just a quick peek on our way." The couple drifted towards the sunken boat. Annabeth lingered over the fallen door and silently wondered what happened to it, because it was clear the damage was done not by the sinking itself. _All part of the boat's history,_ she mused internally.

The bubble modified itself as the two demigods entered the sunken boat. Annabeth looked around with Percy aimlessly staring at things. There wasn't much, just a bunch of clutter of clothes, jewelry, and papers.

"A woman must've owned this," Annabeth guessed, pointing to the jewelry.

"Yeah, but I don't think anybody died here," Percy said. "She must have gotten out when it sank." Annabeth nodded and turned her attention to a corner of the boat. Percy stuck his hand out of the bubble casually and picked up a decorative plastic starfish. He twirled it in his fingers and fondled with it, but then released it, sinking back onto the table.

"She must have lived here too. There's a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom," Annabeth observed.

"Mm," was Percy's response. She glanced at her boyfriend and could tell he was getting bored. Percy poked his fingers at an old, brass scuba diver helmet. Well, at least he came in here with her in the first place. And he was right-not that she would let him know that-there wasn't much in the boat. Nothing that interesting. No secret treasures or mysterious artifacts.

"We should get going," Annabeth announced. Percy looked away from the diver helmet at Annabeth's words. "We gotta get to Mako, right?"

* * *

"Ash, no!" Emma shrieked. Her arms were tightly wound around Ash's neck as he stood holding her in his arms in the ocean.

"Em, just trust me, okay?"

"Take me back now!"

"It's just a bit of water, okay?"

"Ash, _no!_ " Emma clung to him as her entire body shook with fear. If one wave got the slightest wild, it would be enough to make her transform right in Ash's arms. All color drained from her face and her heart was pounding out of her chest. She's going to transform and he's going to hate her! Or he'd take pictures of her and expose her! Their relationship would be over, to say the least, and the thought was just as heartbreaking as it was terrifying. "Take me back now!"

Ash sighed and nodded. "Okay. Alright."

He turned around and waded his way back to the beach. Every step took forever to Emma, and she was practically wiggling in his arms to get out and get her feet on warm, dry sand. Ash set Emma down and she stormed up the beach to put as much distance as possible between the water and her. Ash stood dumbfounded for a moment, before he decided to follow Emma slowly. Emma swept her flip flops into her hands and Ash broke into a jog after her.

"Hey!" he called. "Hey, I'm sorry, I was just trying to help." Emma ignored him and continued marching away. "What does this mean?"

"I don't know!" she snapped.

"You know, Em, whatever it is, you can tell me!"

"You sure about that?" Emma asked with a bitter smile. She almost laughed at him for such a depressing and heart wrenching thought.

"Yes! I want to help you!"

Emma stopped suddenly and whipped around. Here it is. Now or never. If she doesn't tell him now, then would she ever tell him? And if she wouldn't ever tell him, could their relationship keep continuing as is? Ash doesn't deserve a woman who keeps secrets from him. Ash would be much better off without her.

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah, I do," Ash said firmly, staring intently into Emma's eyes. Emma searched his brown eyes, almost desperately, for any hint of a lie or hesitation, but saw nothing but seriousness and support. And this could be all she needed. Emma inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Okay." Her tone wasn't steady and she almost wanted to laugh as terror consumed her and made her want to jump out of her skin. _C'mon, Emma, pull yourself together. Whatever happens, you will deal with it. You will get through it. You just have to chance it this once._

Emma thought this mantra repeatedly as she walked back across the beach towards the water. She dropped her flip flops without care on her way over and Ash followed. Emma stopped at the water's edge, just before the waves could reach her, and Ash stopped a meter behind her.

Emma took another great breath and looked back at Ash, who was watching patiently, his eyes soft but serious. She lifted a foot to step closer, but stopped herself and turned back to Ash. The blonde jogged a few paces up to Ash, pecked him on the cheek, and a smile tugged on his lips. The more Emma stood there, the more sure she felt. Her heart was fluttering, but maybe, just maybe, this was a good thing after all.

Now with greater confidence, Emma jogged back into the water. The cool water rushed past her ankles but Emma dove into the water. Her legs instantly transformed into an orange tail and she surfaced, revealing it. Ash's gaze trailed Emma's uncertain expression to the orange scaled halter top, and finally settling on the matching tail that swished in the water in place of where her legs should be. The sight stunned him and his jaw fell open, all coherent thought abandoning him.

"Cool," was all he could muster. Emma's face broke into a wide grin and she giggled into the water. Ash took a cautious step closer to her.

"Yes, thank God!" Emma praised to the sky.

"You're...a mermaid-all this time, you were a mermaid!" Ash cried, pushing back his hair with a hand. "Unbelievable! This is just-awesome."

"Listen-" Emma was cut short at the sound of distant voices. She immediately gasped at the sight of surfers approaching the beach. They were a good distance away, but the distance would be closed soon enough. Ash looked at the source of the laughter and then looked back down at Emma. "I'll explain everything. Nobody knows this, not even my family. Meet me at Mako Island, okay?"

"Mako Island?" Ash repeated.

"Yeah. Trust me," Emma insisted. The people drew nearer and Emma didn't wait for his response. She ducked under the water and disappeared before she could be spotted. Ash licked his lips and ran another hand through his hair, but his grin never faded.

* * *

 **Author: fun fact, this chapter was supposed to be much longer, but I thought ten pages would be enough for you guys. So I split it! I thought this was a nice note to end it on? And also a little bit of a cliffhanger, if you know what I mean.**

 **Anyway, as usual, please rate and review! They're truly a joy to read!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author: hello! This is the other part to the chapter before this one. It is much shorter than the past few only because I was splitting these chapters up. Hopefully this works!**

 **Also, to the Guest requesting I don't discontinue this story: I do not plan to discontinue this. This story I have plotted out fairly well and I consider it shorter than most of my other stories. The end is in sight for me. I may be slow getting there, but I would be pretty disappointed with myself if I discontinued this one.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

By the time Ash was pulling the boat onto the sands of Mako Island, Emma was standing there waiting patiently for him.

"How'd you get here so fast?" Ash asked over his shoulder as he started to tie down the small boat. Emma grinned and folded her arms, this time out of smugness.

"Perks of being a mermaid," Emma answered. "All part of the powers that come with it."

"Powers? Plural? So do you have more than one?" Ash asked as he jogged to her side. Emma giggled and Ash slipped his palm into Emma's, intertwining fingers. Emma gave his hand a squeeze before tugging him to the direction of the jungle.

"I'll tell you all about it. C'mon, let's go for a walk." Emma gave his hand a squeeze before tugging him to the direction of the jungle.

"Can I ask why we came here? Were you looking for a really private place to talk to me or something?"

"This is where it started," Emma replied. "I came here with Cleo and Rikki. We were stranded, but I had my phone. So we tried to get to higher ground so I could get a signal to get help."

The couple hiked up Mako Island as Emma explained her story to Ash. He listened well and asked a few questions, which Emma was surprisingly eager to answer. She told Ash how she became a mermaid, how Lewis got involved, how Zane knew being Rikki's boyfriend (but left out the part about how he discovered their secret), and how because she transformed by the full moon, it has strange effects on the mermaids. They didn't have a destination in mind-Emma wasn't going to take him to the moon pool just yet and wanted to enjoy the walk with him in the peace and quiet.

Just as Emma finished her story, Ash realized that there wasn't peace and quiet. He frowned and looked around.

"What's wrong, Ash?"

"Listen," he commanded in a low tone. Emma paused and suddenly heard it among the sounds of the birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind-laughter. Her eyes widened and darted around the scenery for any signs of people. "Somebody's here-could it be Cleo or Rikki?"

Emma shook her head and let out an inaudible, frustrated sigh. "No, it couldn't be. We're looking at some research done on Mako that could explain what's happened to us. And it sounds like a man's voice. I thought Lewis would be with Charlotte all day today, and Zane doesn't have any reason to be here without Rikki."

"Maybe we should go. I don't have a good feeling about this, Em," Ash confessed. Emma nodded.

"Neither do I. Let's get out of here. We'll meet up at the JuiceNet, okay?" Ash nodded and the couple moved quickly in the opposite direction of the laughter.

However, despite attempting to go in the opposite direction, they could still distinctly hear the people. The people must be behind them and moving in the same direction, only decreasing the distance between them. Emma looked over her shoulder and saw no one, but it didn't ease her nerves.

They finally reached the beach. Emma looked at Ash and he squeezed her hand, earning a half-smile from her.

"I'll see you at the JuiceNet soon," Ash promised. Emma pecked his cheek and then walked briskly into the shore before taking a great dive into it. Ash went to untie his boat but then stopped himself. He scanned the beach for any activity, but it was just him and his boat.

* * *

"Ha! Like you could ever catch me, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth taunted.

"Wanna bet on it, Wise Girl?" Percy called after her. Annabeth's reply was a loud laugh. She wove around trees and ducked under low branches that would eventually smack Percy in the face. Annabeth had just glanced over her shoulder at that moment and cackled at Percy's infuriated expression as a red line formed across his forehead.

"C'mon, Percy!" beckoned Annabeth. The next time she dared to look back at him, he was advancing towards her and rapidly.

"You really live up to your name," he complained. Annabeth nimbly twisted herself away from Percy just as he was about to grab her and she swiftly leaped over a log. She broke out of the woods and found herself by a stream. She cursed, knowing that Percy was going to use it to his advantage. He was still in the woods, but following behind her, so there was no place for her to turn and go back to. The best way was to go forward and across in hopes of finding refuge or camouflage within the shadows of the jungle.

The blonde raced forward. She jumped up onto the geologic formation. It was slippery, but Annabeth stepped purposefully. Her speed was sacrificed in favor of balance to avoid loosing her footing and falling straight into the small waterfall.

Percy entered the clearing and his sea-green irises locked onto Annabeth's figure making her way across a waterfall. A wide smirk spread across his features and did not pursue her. Instead, he raised a hand. A tentacle of water raised itself from the stream and after Percy made a wide gesture, the water tentacle shot itself at the blonde.

Annabeth focused on the gap splitting the formation and prepared herself to jump, but noticed the water lash skyward towards her. She immediately ducked and sidestepped out of the attack. However, her foot slipped and Annabeth fell backward. Instead of landing on the rock and sliding into the water as previously predicted, she found herself descending into a cold, but dry, darkness into the rock.

Annabeth disappeared from Percy's view, but a high-pitched shriek entered his ears. He cursed and sprinted to the source of his girlfriend's scream, his fingers instinctively searching for the pen in his pocket.

"Annabeth!" he called. He climbed to the spot where he last saw Annabeth stand, but she was gone.

"Percy!" Annabeth's voice echoed from below him. He desperately searched until he found an opening on the rock with a steep slope into darkness. Without hesitation, the demigod jumped in and expertly slid down. Once at the bottom, he leaped to his feet and spotted Annabeth standing with her arms crossed.

"Annabeth, are you alright?" Percy asked, clasping her arms and searching her figure for any signs of injury. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, Percy," she reassured. "That totally wasn't fair for you to use your powers like that!"

"I had to do _something_ to catch you!"

"Well, you missed and I fell in a hole," Annabeth scolded. Percy scowled but it quickly was replaced with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, Percy threw his arms around Annabeth and crushed her body to his. "Percy!"

"Gotcha!"

Annabeth groaned and squirmed in his grasp, but he only tightened his hold on her. She contemplated headbutting him, but decided against it and ultimately stilled in defeat. Percy claimed his prize by capturing Annabeth's lips in a kiss. All of her tension dissolved and her body automatically melted into the kiss.

After a moment, the kiss was broken. Percy tried to steal more kisses and Annabeth giggled but leaned away.

"Percy," she rasped, "C'mon. We need to get out of here."

"The world doesn't need us right now," Percy reminded softly.

"Yes, but we are still in a cave."

"Your point?"

Annabeth scoffed and playfully smacked his bicep. She pulled herself from his grasp with the slightest reluctance, especially after noticing the puppy-eyed look her boyfriend gave her.

The cave they were in was small. They had enough standing room for the two of them, and even a third person could stand comfortably inside, but any more would make it tight. The only other source of light came from another opening away from the slide that brought them there. Annabeth stepped up and ventured into the new opening with Percy trailing.

Inside, the cave opened up to a pool of water flowing in from the ocean. There were no obvious exits except for the water as twilight poured in from the top of the cavern, which was raised high above their heads.

"Whoa," Percy murmured.

"It looks like we're in a volcano."

"It's not going to blow up, right?" Annabeth gave Percy a look. "What?"

"I think it's dormant if it has a pool in here," Annabeth said.

"You never know!" Annabeth rolled her grey eyes and examined her surroundings. Her gaze drifted downward, and she frowned at the sight of something drawn into the sand.

"'Number of days since last incident?'" Annabeth repeated, tilting her head to read the writing in the sand. Percy followed her gaze to where she was looking at and took a step closer.

"Zero?"

"Maybe this island isn't so deserted after all," the daughter of Athena mused. "But who would come here? And why?"

"Do you think that there could be like a secret tribe of people living in the jungle?" Percy suggested.

"Of course not," Annabeth scoffed. "This island isn't big enough for a group of indigenous people to go unnoticed. Maybe a bunch of kids come here to mess around. But why in a volcano?"

"Why not?" he asked with a cheeky smile. "Volcanoes are cool. Maybe this is a magic volcano."

"No such thing, Percy."

"No such thing as gods too," Percy reminded. Annabeth shrugged slightly. He did have a point, but Annabeth was skeptical of there being any myths about magical volcanoes in Australia. The gods were located primarily in America, and the only other place in the world that had mythical activity was the ancient lands-Greece and Rome. The Stymphalian Birds were an exception, but the world can't entirely be free of monsters, can it?

"We should probably get out of here," Annabeth murmured after a pause.

"Lucky for us, this pool leads out to the ocean," Percy informed.

"Convenient."

Percy stepped into the still, cerulean pool. Annabeth sat on the edge, inserting her feet and shivering slightly at its coolness. Percy outstretched a dry hand to her and Annabeth reached to accept it, but stopped, her eyes catching something shiny in the sunlight. Instead of taking Percy's hand, Annabeth's hand lowered to the stone edge of the pool and picked up a transparent, orange scale.

"What is it?" Percy asked as he craned his neck to her. There were several identical scales dotting the stones, some resting on the stone ledge under the water. Annabeth scooped some into her palm and extended to Percy.

"Some kind of scales," Annabeth replied. Percy took a single scale from her palm and brought it to his eye to examine.

"Fish scales, but I don't know what kind of fish," he muttered. He rubbed his thumb over it. "Never seen one like these."

"Maybe we can look at them better when we get back," Annabeth suggested. Percy nodded and collected the rest from his girlfriend before pocketing them. He extended his hand once more, beckoning Annabeth to accept it and join him.

"C'mon. Let's get outta here," Percy insisted. Annabeth accepted it without question and Percy pulled her fully into the water. Although he didn't want to say anything out loud to worry her, there was something very strange about the water. It was colder than the water of the open ocean, but that wasn't it. An unsettling feeling draped over the son of Poseidon, and, well, it made his senses _tingle_. He hated to describe it that way, but there was no other way to put it. Percy's been in a lot of different water before, but no water has made him feel like this before. And the oddest thing about it was that it was a _good_ feeling.

* * *

Emma was sitting at a table on the patio of the JuiceNet cafe toying with her phone when Ash greeted her.

"Feels good to sit down after today," Ash joked after he took the open seat across from the blonde. Emma giggled and felt her face flush slightly with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. I totally just dropped a bomb on you, didn't I?" Emma admitted as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Ash chuckled and smiled at her.

"Yeah, but I'm glad you did. I'm so unbelievably glad that you did," he reassured. "Mermaids. Incredible." Emma snorted. "Are there...you know...more…?"

"Highly doubt it. Just Rikki, Cleo, and I," Emma answered.

"Does anybody else know?"

"Only a handful. Pretty much just Zane and Lewis."

"What gives us the honors? Boyfriends only?" Ash teased. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Lewis has been a very good friend of ours for years. He helps us out a lot. And Zane...well, he found it. Accidentally. Kind of. Let's just leave it at that," she replied.

"Ah. I see."

"He helps out too sometimes," she added. "Even when it doesn't seem like it."

Ash nodded and paused before asking, "And your families don't know?"

"Nope. They don't know about any of it. Not Mako, not the magic, nothing." Sadness drifted into the mermaid's tone as she broke eye contact with her boyfriend. "It's better that way. It's safer for all of us."

"It really is quite the honor for you to trust such a secret with me, Em," Ash said, reaching his hand across the table to her. At first, she hesitated, but then she relaxed and slipped her palm into his and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I promise I'd do anything in my power to help you and to protect it."

"That's good to hear. I would hate to have to freeze you to a wall or something," Emma snickered. It amazed Ash how a girl with such warm hands held the power to create snowstorms and hurricanes. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, not wanting to say what he was about to.

"Listen, there is something I thought I'd like to share with you," he began. "I don't want to upset you or anything, but I thought you'd like to know."

"What is it?" the blonde asked as she frowned and furrowed her brow.

"The people that were on Mako Island earlier," he said. "After you left, I went back to see who it was-just in case. And I saw that it was your cousin and his girlfriend."

"Percy and Annabeth?" she gasped. Her concerned look twisted into one of anger and irritation. "Why would _they_ be there? I thought I told them not to go near there."

"I don't know. They are on vacation after all," Ash pointed out.

"They didn't go to the moon pool, did they?"

"The moon pool?" Ash repeated. "I'm not sure. I don't know where it's at."

"I was going to show you before they showed up," she murmured and sighed. "Thanks for letting me know, Ash. I really appreciate it. I'll deal with them later."

"Are you sure this is so serious?" Ash asked. "Not to undermine the importance or anything, but Percy and Annabeth _are_ just on vacation. So they won't be sticking around."

Emma nodded and agreed, "Yeah, you're right. It would be more concerning if it was scientists investigating."

"But if you ever need my help for something like this-or anything at all-I'll gladly do it," Ash insisted. A smile tugged on Emma's lips.

"Thanks again, Ash. There's not much you can do now and I can handle my cousin. But I'll let you know if I ever get into any trouble."

* * *

"I wish I had a microscope," Annabeth mused aloud as she and Percy approached Emma's villa.

"For once in my life, I wish I did too," Percy admitted. "I've never seen fish scales like that before."

"Well, Australia is pretty diverse, after all. Perhaps it's a species that's not common by us," Annabeth pointed out. Percy's brow was furrowed as he pushed open the front door.

"Maybe," he muttered. Even though they were already back at the Gilbert home, Percy could not shake the feeling he got from the pool in the volcano of Mako Island. He had a feeling it had to do with the golden fish scales. Perhaps if he found out what they were, it would ease his nerves.

"Can I see them?" Annabeth asked, snapping Percy from his thoughts.

"What? Oh, right." Percy slipped a hand into his pocket for the smooth scales but found nothing. He frowned and started fishing in his other pocket for them, but the pocket was empty. Both pockets he turned inside out to fully empty them and at the sight of no scales, Annabeth scowled.

"You lost them, Seaweed Brain?"

"I _just_ had them!" Percy complained. "Seriously. They could not have fallen out of my pockets."

"They had to have," Annabeth said. "They couldn't have just disappeared into thin air."

Percy picked out the lint and some thin flakes of dead skin from the inside of his pockets before digging his hands into the back ones.

"Annabeth, I swear," he gritted. "I don't know where they could have gone."

The blonde sighed and said, "Well, we can't go back. It's getting late, and I'm too tired. Besides, it wasn't a big deal anyway. But that's disappointing."

Percy opened his mouth to protest some more, but words betrayed him. He was only growing more uneasy, almost to the point where he was jittery. What in Hades was wrong with him?

"Yeah. Huge bummer."

* * *

 **Author: lame chapter is lame. I totally rushed the ending but I had a hard time writing it. But I hope you guys liked it!**

 **The next chapter will be slow to update. I know where I want to go with this story, but I'm not quite sure how I want to get there yet. So thank you for being patient with me!**

 **And always, please review! I'm so grateful for everyone's support! It's really helping me get through this!**


	17. Chapter 17

**WOWZA IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE AN UPDATE AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT**

 **This chapter is longer so I hope it makes up for lost time! Also, I think this chapter is better than the last in my opinion.**

 **Note: this chapter loosely follows the episode, "Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble" from H2O!**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

That night, disaster struck. The damage wasn't made known until Emma received an early phone call from Lewis, disturbing both her and Annabeth's slumber. After assuring Annabeth that she would be right back, Emma slipped out of the house and rushed to meet her friends.

Their fears were confirmed: Charlotte was a mermaid.

At the night of the full moon, she had gone into the moon pool and was now just like the three of them, much to the original trio's horror. Emma knew it was best to take Charlotte under their wing and help her. Mermaids had to stick together.

After spending some time at the cafe, the four girls returned to Emma's house later that morning. Emma was the first to enter in the doorway and there she immediately ran into her mother and father, both wearing cross expressions.

"Emma. Can we have a word?" Lisa beckoned. Emma glanced over her shoulder at Cleo, Rikki, and Charlotte, silently telling them to go to her bedroom and wait for her. Cleo nodded, Rikki rolled her eyes, and Charlotte followed the pair upstairs.

"Um, sure. I brought the girls here," Emma informed as she approached her parents in the kitchen.

"That's just the thing," Neil said. Emma arched an eyebrow.

"You're spending an awful lot of time with your friends, Emma," Lisa stated firmly.

"They're my friends," the blonde countered. "I always spend time with them."

"I know that and you know that your friends are always welcome here. But our family that we haven't seen in over four years is here to visit and you are neglecting them."

"Neglecting them? I'm not neglecting them!"

"You're not spending time with your cousin, Emma. He's only visiting for a little bit and then he's going back halfway across the globe and you're spending more time with your friends that you see everyday. How would you feel if Percy did that to you? It would hurt your feelings, wouldn't it?"

"Mum! I spend plenty of time with Percy. We've gone to the marine park and the beach and horseback riding!"

"Emma, you need to make the most of your time with our family," Neil warned. "We don't even know when the next time we will see them again."

Emma restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

"I don't want this to keep occurring, Emma. Please. Tell your friends to go home and go spend some time with Percy and Annabeth," Lisa commanded. Emma's mouth fell open in shock.

"Mum! I can't send them home!"

"And why not?"

"Because-" the mermaid sputtered. "That's not fair! We have plans!"

"You're going to spend some time with your cousin today, Emma."

Emma couldn't suppress her scowl, "Okay. Fine. I'll take Percy and Annabeth to one of the beaches today."

Emma turned on her heel quickly and had a stomp in her step as she went to the stairs. Lisa and Neil exchanged looks before they broke away, Lisa going to occupy herself and Neil following Emma.

"Emma," her father called in a low voice halfway up the staircase. Emma stopped and reluctantly met her father's softer gaze. "Please listen to your mother. She has missed her sister terribly and you know family means everything to her. You know she means well."

Emma sighed and nodded, "I understand." Neil smiled and patted Emma's arm comfortingly.

"That's my girl. Your mother and I appreciate everything you do."

When Emma rejoined her friends upstairs, they were talking with Percy and Annabeth, Charlotte the most animated of the group. The conversation halted when Emma approached, Rikki and Cleo's faces simultaneously looking relieved.

"Get your suits on. We're going to the beach, guys. Now."

Rikki and Cleo sagged their shoulders too soon and stared at the other blonde in bewilderment. Charlotte seemed unfazed and glanced at everyone else.

"Yes!" Percy whooped. Emma plastered a smile and eyed Charlotte nervously.

"Please join us, Charlotte. We'd love to have you come with," Emma added, much to Cleo and Rikki's dismay. The redhead's features lit up in delight and smiled brightly at Emma.

"I'd love to!" Charlotte chimed. "It's going to be _so_ great, you guys!"

* * *

An hour later, the four mermaids were spreading colorful towels atop the white sand beach. Rikki was sure to keep her's the farthest from Charlotte's while Cleo and Emma tried to ignore the intense tension.

"You guys!" Charlotte came bustling across the sand to the group with the brightest grin on her lips. Rikki rolled her eyes and pretended she didn't notice the fourth mermaid. Emma frowned at the back of Rikki's head before forcing her lips to stretch into a smile. "I did it! I found my power!"

Rikki stopped pretending, "Please. You probably just imagined it."

"No, I really did it!" Charlotte protested. "C'mon! I'll show you!"

With great reluctance, the original trio followed Charlotte to a secluded part of the beach dotted with boulders and where no one wandered. Her gaze trailed the sands for any collections of water and smiled at the sight of a puddle. When Charlotte stopped in front of it, Rikki stepped over beside the puddle and peered into it with folded arms expectantly.

"Well?"

Charlotte stuck out her palm, up and open. The water in the puddle began to shake like it was experiencing its own personal earthquake. Rikki's arms fell to her sides in surprise as Cleo and Emma exchanged nervous looks of disbelief. Charlotte arched an eyebrow and smirked at their uneasy reactions. Her tongue stuck out just the slightest in concentration as Charlotte began to raise her steady hand and the water followed. Slowly, a tentacle of water raised itself from the puddle, moving just as if Cleo was using her power.

With a satisfied nod, Charlotte dropped her hand, subsequently dropping the water and dousing Rikki's head. Rikki blew out air between her lips before her features twisted into obvious irritation. Charlotte's lips pursed sheepishly but there wasn't a trace of regret on her face.

" _Nice_ ," she growled as her body transformed and fell into the sand.

"Whoops! Sorry." Rikki propped herself up on her elbow looking unconvinced at Charlotte's apology. The redhead proudly smiled over her shoulder at Emma and Cleo. "Did you guys see _that_? I just moved water!"

"-That's my power…" Cleo murmured disappointedly. She looked hurt more than anything. First, Charlotte had her boyfriend, now her power? What was more to take?

"I know! We can share!" Charlotte glanced at Rikki. "Besides, now you can show me how to use it properly."

"Great."

"There's one thing," Emma suddenly chimed to diffuse the growing tension. She sensed Cleo's hurt and was eager to change the subject to protect her friend. "Let's not talk about the mermaid stuff around Percy and Annabeth. They don't know and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Wait, your families don't know?" Charlotte couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.

"You didn't tell yours, did you?" Cleo questioned. Charlotte shook her head.

"No, but I thought about telling my mum since Gracie was a mermaid…"

"You can't tell her, Charlotte," Emma said firmly. "We didn't tell any of our families. It's simply too dangerous."

Charlotte sighed, disappointment etching itself into her features. There were more rules about being a mermaid than expected. Couldn't she just steer clear of water?

"Hey, you guys!" Percy's voice yelled, catching the foursome's attention. Immediately, all of their eyes went wide and glanced at Rikki, whose figure was hidden behind one of the boulders. She groaned and pulled herself closer to the rock to conceal herself better from the oblivious demigods' views. Meanwhile, Emma, Cleo, and Charlotte were quick to meet Emma's cousin halfway as Rikki dried herself. He jogged to them, dressed in a tank top and shorts with a volleyball in his hands. Annabeth followed behind him at a slower pace in a bikini covered by a wet shirt.

"What are you guys doing all the way out here? The beach is that way!" Percy teased.

"This is part of the beach too," Cleo protested. Percy shrugged.

"Hey, Percy. I thought you and Annabeth were taking a walk in the shore?" Emma quickly asked.

"We were but then we found this volleyball and net set up," Percy responded eagerly. "We can all play. Who's up for some classic beach volleyball?" Charlotte was the only one to return Percy's smile. As Percy talked, Annabeth narrowed her eyes at the landscape behind the trio of girls. Steam was curling itself over the rocks mysteriously. "Hey, wasn't Rikki with you guys?"

"What's that over there?" Annabeth pointed to the steam. Cleo and Charlotte turned to Emma for help, who masked her panic that seized her form.

"What do you mean?" Emma tried playing dumb. Annabeth looked unconvinced.

"The steam? Isn't that kind of weird?"

"That?" Charlotte added. "Oh no, not that. That's just...nature."

"Nature?"

"That's just a hot spot. Sometimes certain spots on the beaches heat up on hot days like these! Sometimes they get to be so hot that the water just evaporates and there's just steam everywhere! Weird, huh?"

"I don't think that's how beaches work," Percy pointed out.

"Well, things work differently in Australia," Emma continued. "The climate here is completely different here than anywhere else in the world. And we got the strangest things living here. I understand that you're not...used to it. But I am. It's normal. Common, even. Promise."

Suddenly, Rikki emerged behind the other mermaids in a casual stroll.

"Sorry, guys. I found a starfish," she said nonchalantly. Percy and Annabeth silently asked each other the same question but didn't have any answers. They supposed it was best to just go along with the strangeness for now, even though it was obvious Emma was hiding something.

"So, volleyball?" Percy held up the leather ball. "C'mon, Em. Please?"

"I guess one game wouldn't hurt."

"Great! I love beach volleyball!" Charlotte announced gleefully.

"Sorry, but I'm allergic to rubber," Rikki protested. Percy gave her an unconvinced look.

"And I'm allergic to oxygen," he said.

"Tragic," she returned.

"We can do teams," Annabeth chimed, joining the group a moment earlier. "There's enough of us to do three on three."

Emma suddenly got an idea. From the look on Rikki's face, she knew Rikki had the same one.

"I'll be with my cousin on a team," Emma quickly informed. Cleo's jaw dropped. "Family's got to stick together, right?"

Percy snorted. "Maybe you want to be on my team because you know I'd beat you at it."

Emma giggled, "As if, Percy."

The group walked to the beach volleyball court with Percy and Annabeth leading the way. Rikki and Cleo were grumbling to Emma the entire walk, much to the blonde's annoyance. She didn't let it get to her though-Emma knew that she had to remain levelheaded in this...time of turmoil as the threat of an outsider disturbing their balance loomed over them. Cleo was emotional as it was with Charlotte dating her ex-boyfriend and Rikki never made things easy for Emma.

Volleyball was difficult initially. Rikki and Cleo were not thrilled to be on one side of the net with Charlotte and hardly put forth effort. It seemed as whenever they tried, they were bumping into one another. Charlotte nearly knocked Rikki over and the blonde nearly bit her head off for it if Cleo didn't intervene quickly.

While the group tried to play a successful game, another group sauntered over to the court. This group consisted of five boys and one girl, all the same ages as Emma and her friends, and all wearing solid black swimsuits.

"Okay, time's up," the tallest boy at the front of the group called to the mermaids and demigods.

"Can we help you?" Annabeth asked as she caught the ball.

"Your time here is up," he replied. "It's time for the champs to use this court."

"And you can't use another one because…?"

"This is the one we use," he insisted. "Thanks for keeping it warm for us though."

"You heard the boy." Rikki turned on her heel.

"Rikki," Rikki stopped in her step and slumped her shoulders. Emma rolled her eyes before narrowing them at the haughty teenagers. "We were here first and we aren't moving."

"Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Emma," Cleo pleaded quietly. "Let's just go. It's not worth it."

"How 'bout we play you for it?" Percy chimed, stepping forward. The black-clad group said nothing. "We're all good sportsmen, aren't we? We'll play one game and if you win, you can have the court. If we win, we keep it. Deal?"

The leader scoffed at Percy while the girls sent him concerned expressions. The only one who really wanted to play volleyball was Percy and he was _not_ going to let some Australian chump tell him, the son of Poseidon, what to do.

"Alright. Deal." Percy and the leader shook hands on it.

"Emma!" Cleo squeaked. "I don't want to do this."

"Sorry, Cleo. Just one game, alright? After all, it won't be much longer until Percy goes home to New York."

Cleo internally groaned but knew that Emma was right. Emma has done plenty of stuff to help Cleo in the past, even with her family members. Emma was her friend and she owed her this much. Rikki knew it too and that's why the mermaid of fire hasn't walked off the beach yet.

"Percy, did you have to pick a fight?" Emma asked her cousin. Percy rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, Em, where's your sense of adventure? You're not honestly going to let some assholes push you around, are you?" The blonde gave him a look. "C'mon. We can take them. You know we can."

"I've never fouled out anything in my life and I'm not about to start," Emma muttered but a smile was forming. Percy beamed and patted her shoulder encouragingly.

"That's the spirit!"

"Let's get this over with," Rikki grumbled as she pulled her curly hair into a ponytail.

A referee was pulled to overview the game. A coin was flipped and the other team won the coin toss, much to their delight.

"This game will be a walkover," the leader snickered.

"Oh real nice. There's a good sport for you!" Rikki clapped.

"Don't buy into it, Rikki. They're just trying to break your confidence."

"What confidence?" The six of them lined up in a row in front of the net and the six of the team in black lined the other side. Percy shook hands with the blond leader and the referee blew his whistle.

The single girl on the black team was the server. She threw the ball above her head and smacked it across the net. Rikki lowered her arms, preparing to hit it back, when suddenly Charlotte slammed into her from the side.

"Ow!" Charlotte cried.

"What did you do that for?" Rikki demanded, gesturing to the ball at their feet. "It was mine!"

"Well you should've called for it!"

"It was coming _right for me_!"

"It was not!"

"Uh, guys?" Annabeth injected, stepping between the glaring mermaids. The black team snickered at the quarrel. "It's great that you're passionate but it's just a game."

"Can we get on with it already?" One of the boys from the other side taunted. Percy tossed the volleyball to the other side. The ball was served once more, this time heading straight towards Emma. She dove after the ball and missed, the ball rolling to her side. Charlotte was at Emma's side and helped her to her feet.

"C'mon. No pain no gain, right?" Charlotte encouraged with a smile.

"'No pain no gain?' Who says that?" Rikki complained. Charlotte ignored her and patted Emma's shoulder reassuringly before returning to her spot.

When the ball was served again, this time Annabeth was able to get underneath it and send it back over. One of the boys spiked it right into Emma's stomach, nearly knocking her over.

"Hey! You didn't have to do it that hard!" Percy snapped angrily as the black team high fived each other.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the player who hit Emma said with mock-concern. "Must've been a sudden gust of wind."

Cleo's face suddenly was lit with a devious idea. She glanced at Rikki, who was thinking the same thing and returned her smirk. Cleo eyed the demigods cautiously but with their new positions on the court, she was certain she would be able to get away with her plot.

The ball was served and sent to Rikki. She was able to hit it underhand but the ball went flying out of play.

"Out!"

"Out!"

Before it could fly too far, Cleo twisted her hand, magically summoning enough wind to carry the ball back into the court, just on the edge of the other team's side.

"What?" the leader cried. "How did that happen?"

"Must've been a sudden gust of wind," Cleo retorted. He stared at where the volleyball made a u-turn in midair and ran a hand through his short locks. Percy and Annabeth exchanged puzzled expressions.

"You got lucky that time," he growled. The score was now 4-1. The mermaids and demigods were on the board.

Emma was the first one to serve the ball on their team. She threw it upwards and smacked her palm against the leather. The ball darted across the net and straight out of play behind the black team. However, as the black team snickered at the wildly served ball, Cleo flicked her wrist and a gust had the ball soaring back to the other team's court. One of the boys dove to get it, but merely knocked it foul.

Cleo and Emma exchanged a high-five. Percy and Annabeth silently asked one another what was going on while Percy hesitantly clapped with the others. A small crowd was gathering around the court, beachgoers enjoying the game as the score gap continued to close with 4-2.

Charlotte served the ball and the girl on the other side sent it upwards. Another boy came to assist and send it over, but there was another change in the wind, pushing the ball back and dropping it into the sand at the boy's feet.

"What?" One of the teammates in black cried. The score was now 4-3. "Time out, ref!" The ref blew his whistle and signaled to his right to the black team.

All the girls, save for Annabeth, were all smiles now They buried their faces with their water bottles, trying not to laugh with glee in front of the unsuspecting demigods.

"Do you guys, uh, have any idea what's going on?" Percy finally questioned. The mermaids shrugged innocently.

"Not a clue," Charlotte replied.

"Do you?" Cleo asked him. Percy shook his head. At first, Annabeth had thought Percy tried to manipulate the weather into their favor, his competitiveness getting the better of him. But he seemed genuinely just as perplexed as she was with the wind constantly changing in their favor. Was Zeus trying to signal them something?

"Guys, we could actually win this," Emma chimed, flashing a smile at her cousin.

"It doesn't feel right," Percy admitted.

"There's nothing we can do about the weather so we might as well just accept it," Charlotte added. Rikki beamed at the redhead.

"You heard the girl! Accept it!" Rikki agreed.

"It _would_ be nice to put them in their place," Annabeth murmured, elbowing Percy. His face brightened as he glanced at everyone's happy expressions.

"We _can_ beat them," Charlotte encouraged.

"Let's go!" Percy stuck his hand out in the middle of their circle. Emma, Annabeth, Charlotte, and Cleo quickly placed their hands atop of his. Rikki eyed Charlotte skeptically but she gave her a knowing look. With an inaudible sigh, Rikki's hand topped the pile.

"Team!"

Cleo was not liking the uncertain features on Percy and Annabeth's faces. Perhaps it would be best if she backed off from time to time so it was more believable. Of course, no one could ever notice that the brunette was wielding magic but it made it easier to lie about it.

Percy was the server this time. The ball bounced back from the black team towards Charlotte who got under it and sent it over the net, but foul. The ball rolled through the sand and into the saltwater not far from their court.

"That's out!"

"Nice one," the female from the black team teased before jogging to the shore to retrieve the ball. She tossed it to the leader, waterdrops flying in every direction as the leather gleamed in dampness. Emma visibly paled and nearly cringed.

"Don't you...want to dry that off a little first?" she called.

"You're not scared of a little water, are you?" the blond sneered. Emma looked at the obviously frightened Cleo. Before any of the mermaids could protest further, the ball was coming their way. Percy and Annabeth were on the side farthest from where the ball was going and watched it arch to Charlotte. The redhead cringed as she reluctantly raised her hands to set the ball.

"No!"

"Stop!"

"Charlotte!"

Emma dashed forward to stop her but it was too late-Charlotte pressed both palms against the drenched ball, dampening her fingertips. Rikki was at Charlotte's side in an instant, urging her to the shore.

"Get in the water! Hurry!" Rikki hissed under her breath.

"What is she doing?"

"She can't do that!"

Charlotte raced into the saltwater and dove under the surface. Percy and Annabeth stared at where Charlotte disappeared to in surprise before turning their puzzlement onto the remaining mermaids.

"Why did she do that?" Annabeth demanded. "Is there something wrong?"

The daughter of Athena stared at the girls expectantly for an answer, but Cleo merely bit her lip and Rikki and Emma looked at each other.

"Dehydrated," Rikki lied. She started nodding her head when Percy arched an eyebrow at her. "Yup. She's real...dehydrated. Just had to take a quick swim."

"When you're dehydrated, you take a drink of water. _Fresh_ water, not _salt_ water. If anything, that'll kill her!" Percy pointed out.

"Since you don't have six players anymore, you guys forfeit!" The leader of the black team called. Emma rolled her eyes and stepped forward before Percy could.

"We don't forfeit!" she countered. "She'll only be a minute!"

"Em," Percy touched her arm.

"We finish what we start, Percy," Emma stated firmly. Percy shrugged.

"Percy, can I talk to you for a second?" Annabeth pulled her boyfriend several steps away from all the people.

"Well-"

"Don't even say it," Emma cut Rikki off.

"Say what? I told you so?" Rikki hissed. "You know me better than that, Emma."

"Percy," Annabeth's usual calm features began to show signs of worry. "I don't like this. There's something weird going on."

"I know, I know. You think I should go out there and see what's up?"

Annabeth shook her head. "Not now, at least. Maybe later. If you go now, it'll be too weird and it'll prompt questions-"

"Really? You think _that_ would be too weird? Weirder than the sudden gusts of wind and Charlotte running into the ocean?" Percy demanded. Annabeth gave him a deadpanned look he was too familiar with.

"You know what I mean, Seaweed Brain," she grumbled. "I think we should confront Emma about this."

Percy pursed his lips in thought. The last thing he wanted to do was push and pry his cousin, especially when he had secrets of his own to keep. Granted, the Mist did most of the work for him. Wait. The Mist did most of the work to hide mythical stuff.

"What if Emma doesn't know about it?" Percy suggested. "What if she doesn't know what's going on because she can't see it like we can because of the Mist? Maybe she just thinks that something weird is going on too but it looks different from what we're seeing because we can see beyond the Mist. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, but-" Annabeth frowned. She hated to be so involved in other people's family matters. But that was part of the job description of being a Greek demigod. "Percy, I think she's lying." Percy opened his mouth and Annabeth quickly reached his hand before he could protest. "I know you don't want to hear this. Emma is very nice and smart and knows what she is doing. I love your family and Emma but I really think that she's trying to hide something, don't you?"

The son of Poseidon said nothing to his girlfriend. He paused, mulling over Annabeth's words before nodding.

"It wouldn't hurt to ask her," Percy agreed. Annabeth's gaze softened and she squeezed his hand and he returned the squeeze.

"Thirty seconds," the referee warned Emma and her team. Cleo and Rikki were groaning as Percy and Annabeth rejoined them.

"This can't happen," Emma complained.

"Well, not everyone is reliable," Rikki said with nonchalance.

"Is she coming back?" Annabeth asked Emma. Emma opened her mouth to respond but no words came to her.

"Charlotte!" Cleo's voice snapped everyone's attention to where the brunette was looking. The missing redhead jogged onto the court with the widest grin on her features.

"Hey! We're good to go!" Percy called to the referee. Charlotte gave a reassuring wave to the ref to reinforce his statement.

"Are you okay?" Emma questioned.

"Yeah…" Charlotte breathed. She was out of breath from running but her smile never faltered. "Never been better! Play ball!"

The game resumed with a serve from Rikki. Charlotte played aggressively yet full of smiles and giggles. Her energy rejuvenated the original mermaids. As the mermaids worked together, Annabeth and Percy's mind cleared from the questions surrounding Emma's lying and they were able to play better too. Spikes became more natural. Every point scored earned high fives around the team and laughter. The taunts from the black team lessened as Emma's team took and held the lead at eighteen to sixteen.

"This is match point," the referee announced when the twentieth point was scored by Percy's spike.

Annabeth served the ball. The single girl on the other team sent it back over to be received by Rikki. Rikki set it skyward and Percy boosted it to Emma, where she spiked it into the team leader's abdomen.

"Woo!" Cleo cried out and jumped in joy. The team cheered and laughed together, enjoying their victory over the haughty team clad in black. Percy pulled Emma and Annabeth to him with each arm. Charlotte and Cleo joined the group hug with Rikki standing hesitantly at the edge.

"C'mon, Rikki! Get in here," Emma beckoned. Rikki rolled her eyes but her smile betrayed her as she stepped into the large group hug.

The moment diffused itself and the group hug was broken. The victorious team approached the disappointed losers who remained silent.

"Good game." Percy extended his hand to the leader. The leader was hesitant but eventually gasped the demigod's palm and shook it once. "Court's all yours, by the way."

"But you won," he protested.

"Yeah. We only just wanted to play one game." Percy smiled and looked over his shoulder at Emma, who snorted. The ball was tossed over to the team in black as the others walked back to where the towels and cooler laid.

Drinks were fished from the cooler and they all held them up against each other in a toast.

"To victory!" Everyone smiled and took a sip. Percy looked at everyone's faces-what a breath of fresh air it was to be surrounded by good human beings. This was a peaceful moment. Sure, evil metal birds attacked the other day, but for the most part, this was the best vacation Percy's ever had-also the most needed vacation. He was so content to be getting along with his cousin and to be at Annabeth's side outside of battle. It was like lying in a big, plush bed after a long day of work.

Percy noticed Rikki's expression falter behind her cup of juice.

"You okay, Rikki?" Percy asked the blonde. She was surprised to have been caught by Emma's cousin, but plastered a smile on her face.

"Yeah, fine. You know-my allergies to rubber are acting up," Rikki reassured with a forced chuckle. Percy glanced at Annabeth, wondering if now was the time to confront Emma. Annabeth's expression suggested otherwise, insinuating to save it for later.

"We're going to go check and see if we can go parasailing," Percy announced, draping his arm over Annabeth's shoulders.

"Parasailing?" Annabeth repeated.

"Yeah! I've always wanted to go!" he said playfully. Annabeth giggled and rolled her eyes.

"We'll be lying here for a while still if you need me," Emma informed.

"Bor-ing." Percy and Annabeth turned on their heels and strolled away from the group. Rikki's fake smile had dropped once again.

"There's _one_ thing I can't figure out," Rikki chimed. She sat on her beach towel and placed her cup upright beside her in the sand. Her aquamarine hues narrowed at Charlotte. "How did you dry off so quickly?"

"Oh, that…" Charlotte chuckled sheepishly, but her expression quickly turned smug with a smirk on the edges of her mouth. "It was easy."

Her chocolate gaze lowered to the cup at Rikki's side and she reached her hand out with the palm up. Instantly, Rikki's juice heated up and steam rolled around it. The blonde immediately looked around and placed her hands in front of the cup, in case there were any beachgoers passing by. Emma and Cleo's jaws dropped open at the sight of the evaporating juice.

"Wait," Cleo sputtered. "I thought you already had _my_ power."

"Yeah. I guess I got Rikki's too." Rikki's expression flipped from disbelief to fury at the fourth mermaid. The heating ceased and Rikki folded her arms across her chest without daring to remove her glare from Charlotte.

"Oh, and one more thing," Charlotte added with an innocent bat of her eyelashes. She stuck her palm out once again and this time, the juice in Rikki's cup instantly turned to ice-so much so that ice chunks littered the sand surrounding it. "I also got Emma's!"

Charlotte stared at the wild disbelief of the three mermaids with a satisfied smile and giggle, "Isn't this great? I must be some sort of...super-mermaid."

Just then, Percy and Annabeth were approaching the group. This wasn't noticed until the last second and being the last second, Cleo merely tossed a towel over the iced cup and ice chunks. Rikki jumped to her feet.

"Good news! Parasailing is open and discounted today!" Percy announced boisterously to the girls. Rikki ignored him, stormed past Charlotte and shot her a threatening look before storming past the two demigods without a second glance. Percy frowned at her rude behavior and looked at Emma, whose expression had changed dramatically from just a few minutes ago.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked.

"Nothing," Emma hissed. "Rikki's just going to take a walk."

"I'm going to call Lewis!" Charlotte said, grabbing her phone and strolling with a skip in her step away opposite from Rikki. Percy frowned at the girls. Cleo looked absolutely horrified and looked to Emma for answers.

"Em, is everything okay?" Percy touched his cousin's arm and she flinched. Percy was startled by her reaction. Emma took a subtle deep breath and tried to recompose herself. She glanced at Cleo, signaling to her that everything will be okay, before forcing the corners of her mouth to turn upwards at Percy.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Emma answered softly.

"You sure? What happened?"

"Nothing happened. Just a small misunderstanding between Rikki and Charlotte but nothing to worry about. In fact, we can just forget all about it!"

Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks. There it was again. Her expression was perfectly composed but distraught was swimming in her cerulean eyes. Emma was lying to them again.

* * *

 **I have a confession to make. I've been working on new H2O fanfiction.**

 **I had this really intricate idea where every mermaid gets their own crossover fanfiction. See, this one ended up to be very Emma-centric. And I run a Rikki roleplay blog on Tumblr and I've developed a plethora of crossovers there.**

 **But the obvious problem is, if it takes me so long to get through one fanfic, how am I supposed to get through the rest? Besides, if you think this crossover is farfetched, the others are way more out there.**

 **Anyway, there's a good possibility I will just write another H2O fanfic after this one and it will serve as a sequel to the general series. Stay tuned.**

 **ANYWHO YOU KNOW THE DRILL PLEASE REVIEW I GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT**

 **-** Spiz


	18. Chapter 18

**Author: AHHHHHHHHH THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER. PROBS THE MOST IMPORTANT SO FAR OMG.**

 **I need to take a sec and respond to a few reviews in** effort **to calm myself over this chapter.**

 **Esther** Coutoi **: you know what? I agree with you 100%! I let myself get carried away with the story and I wanted to follow the episodes of H2O to solidify a time-frame, but I ended up relying too heavily on them. And I do apologize for that! I do hope that this chapter makes up for** it **though! I suspect this chapter will make up for it, however, it will also frustrate you (and a lot of viewers). If it does, I am successful.**

 **to all other reviewers: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IT IS SO GREAT AND SO AMAZING AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE IT**

 **I said the last chapter loosely follows "Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble" however "loosely" is a bad word because it followed it way closer.**

 **This chapter _is,_ I confess, based off "Sea Change." However, it is definitely _not_ like previous chapters and it is quite divergent from the episode. You will see elements of it appear, but the events that happen in this chapter are very very very very very crucial to the plot and the characters. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Emma!" a voice pleaded in a hushed tone. "Psst! Emma! Wake up!"

Small hands shook the blonde by her shoulders in the darkness of the bedroom, stirring her awake. Emma's eyelids fluttered open and tried to focus on her surroundings. Elliot's form hovered over her, his features distraught. He continued to push and shake her figure, earning him an irritated groan from his sister.

"What, Elliot?" Emma demanded quietly as she sat up. Her fingers rubbed her eyes as Elliot quickly turned his head to sleeping Annabeth, then to the open bedroom door, and finally returning to Emma.

"It's Percy," Elliot whispered. "Something's wrong!"

Emma instantly became fully awake and alert once Elliot uttered the words. She leaped out of her bed and rushed across the hall to Elliot's room. The room was a mess-littered with articles of clothing-but she was able to spot Percy lying on the air mattress in the darkness. He appeared to be asleep, but his body was twitching and his head was twisting around as cries and angry yells fell from his lips. Emma kneeled beside him and grabbed him by the bicep and shook him. His skin felt sweaty under her palms and at first, Emma wondered if it was her, but then she noticed the beads of sweat coating his face.

"Percy! Percy, hey!" she called quietly, careful not to wake anyone else up.

"Emma, please do something!" Elliot begged. Emma tried not to roll her eyes at her frightened younger brother.

"Wake up, Percy!" Emma closed one hand into a fist and gave a pound against his arm. Instantly, Percy's eyes snapped open and he gasped. Her fingers uncurled and her touch turned gentle to calm Percy's heavy breathing.

"Emma?" Percy sputtered. He swallowed. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

"Shhh," Emma said quietly. "You were having a night terror, I think."

"I was?" Percy looked at Elliot, who was still cowering behind Emma. "Sorry-did I wake you, Elliot?"

"It's okay," Emma assured before Elliot could respond. "C'mon. Come with me, Percy." She rose to her feet and helped Percy to his as best as she could-for he was much taller and bigger than her. "Go back to bed, Elliot. We'll be right back."

The young boy nodded, "Thanks, Emma." Elliot was climbing into bed as Emma and Percy left the room and tiptoed down the stairs. They entered the kitchen, Percy following Emma as she retrieved a water bottle from the refrigerator and passed it to him.

"You should drink something," Emma explained. He accepted it gratefully, twisted the cap and took a generous drink from it.

"Thanks," Percy said with a smile. "I need that. My throat's all dry."

"Maybe you should eat something too," Emma suggested. "We have some fruit-"

"Got any chips?"

Emma frowned at her cousin and "tsked" in disapproval but nonetheless retrieved a bag of potato chips from the cabinet.

"You should eat something more nutritional," the blonde huffed.

"If you don't swim competitively anymore, then what's the point of nutrition?" the demigod pointed out as his fingers unrolled the top of the bag. Emma glared at her cousin when he stuck his hand into the bag and stuck a handful of chips in his mouth. "Want some?"

"I'll pass." Emma walked into the living room and curled up in the armchair next to the couch. She didn't bother turning on the lights-the lights from outside shined through the windows as a source of light and she feared she would awaken more members of the household. Percy trailed behind her and plopped lazily onto the couch with the chips in hand.

"Feeling better?"

Percy nodded, "Much."

"Do you want me to get Aunt Sally?"

"No! She'd just worry about nothing. It was just a bad dream, after all," Percy insisted but Emma didn't look convinced.

"It wasn't just a bad dream. It was a night terror, I think. Do you want me to get Annabeth?"

"No! She'd do just the same. I'm fine, Em. I promise. It's no big deal," he said as he munched on more potato chips. Emma pulled her legs onto the chair and hugged them close to her body with her gaze remaining on Percy.

"What did you dream about?" she asked softly. _Oh, you know, a nice sunny day in the depths of Tartarus, taking a stroll on the softest beaches you could ever imagine and swimming in the warmest river,_ Percy thought to himself. He mentally shook his head.

"I can't remember," he lied. Emma nodded but said nothing. It was best not to press him, especially since he couldn't remember anything. Percy said nothing himself and busied his mouth with popping chips into it.

However, a conversation was picked up again. They talked about everyday things. Prior to that night, Emma was preoccupied and growing more worried about Charlotte. Not only was she incredibly powerful, but she was incredibly reckless. Nate was at the receiving end of her wrath and not much later, Emma and Cleo were too. Both of the near-disastrous events had strangers questioning Emma about the strange occurrences. She was able to talk herself out of the several curious strangers but if things were left as they were, it would only beg more questions. On top of it, Rikki was either going to fight Charlotte or leave, making it nearly impossible for Emma to keep the peace among the mermaids. Stressed couldn't even describe the turbulent feelings inside Emma currently.

Talking to Percy this night, however, was like a breath of fresh air to her. It felt like there wasn't a reckless mermaid threatening her and her friends. It felt nice to have a normal friend, someone who was understanding in a way that her parents or Elliot can't be. Ash used to be that for her, and not to say that he causes her stress, but it was difficult being around him before he knew her secret because he pried. Now that he knew, it was a relief but it didn't give her the comfort of normalcy.

Little did Emma know, she was doing just the same for Percy. As the night wore on, he gradually did forget his Tartarus nightmare. Back at home, he was constantly surrounded by demigods and mythical creatures that he was starting to forget what it was like to be a normal teenager. His only source to normalcy was Rachel, but even that has shifted slightly after she became the Oracle.

Percy loved this. He reveled in this feeling of peace spending time with Emma. They had grown distant throughout the years of Percy's absence. It never occurred to him until he saw it in her eyes. Emma would be there with Percy but she was never truly there. Even on the sunniest days, dead air hung between the cousins and it made Percy's stomach twist painfully at the thought of the normal family he loved eroding away before his eyes. He had desired to confront Emma about her lies, push through the dead space and the cold mountains she built-but there apparently was an emergency at her work that she had to tend to before he or Annabeth could question. And now, Percy just didn't want to ruin the moment. It was late at night, after midnight, he and Emma are both tired, but most importantly, he and Emma are getting along. She's practically a sister to him, a sister he's never had, but now it was starting to actually feel like having a sister. The distance was gone. Emma was there. Ice melted. He wasn't sure if it made sense, but he didn't care. This, he could tell, was something precious and something he didn't want to lose yet. Percy opted to wait to confront Emma, even if it would irritate Annabeth.

That morning Lisa and Sally found two sleeping teenagers in the living room. Emma's head was tilted back against the arm chair with her arms curled around her knees. Percy fell sideways on the couch and had one arm hanging off the edge with the back of his hand resting against the floor. Sunlight was strewn across their forms, illuminating Emma's golden locks and reflecting off Percy's drool. The sight had the two older women chuckling quietly before they slipped out of the house for the day.

The sound of a phone ringing awoke the two teenagers. Percy nearly leapt off the couch while Emma internally groaned and rubbed her forehead. As much as they both wished it to happen, the phone did not cease to ring. Emma huffed and pushed herself off the chair and rushed to the granite countertop the phone rested upon.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Emma?" a masculine voice returned.

"Hi, Mr. Sertori," Emma greeted with a puzzled expression. "How can I help you?"

"Is Cleo with you?" he asked. Emma furrowed her eyebrows and glanced around the first floor of the house. There wasn't any sign of the brunette mentioned and she hasn't contacted Emma.

"Cleo?" she repeated. "No, she's not here. Is there a problem? Is she okay?"

"I-I don't know, honestly. She ran out of the house earlier and hasn't been back or returned any of my messages. I was wondering if maybe she went to your house," Don explained. Emma's eyes widened. Something must have happened to Cleo. The mermaid looked at the clock and noticed she and Percy had slept in.

"Yeah, no, she's not here…" Emma trailed off. "Are you going to call the police?"

"Not yet. But I'm getting worried. Do you have any idea where she could be?" Emma bit her lip. It was likely Cleo went to Mako, but she couldn't say that aloud.

"I'm sure she's around. It's not like her to go very far," Emma answered. "I'll look around for her and let you know. Maybe call Rikki if she went to her."

It was unlikely due to the fact that Rikki hated having company over. And Lewis wasn't their friend anymore now that he sided with Charlotte's rude attitude so there was no way Cleo could have gone to him.

Or perhaps she did. Cleo _did_ seem to protest when Emma and Rikki told her that Lewis wasn't their friend. And Emma did recall listening to Cleo complain about Lewis avoiding her. It was simply natural to miss a childhood friend and of course it would be hard to move on from such a bond, Emma was sure.

"Thanks, I'll call you if I hear something."

"Likewise."

Emma hung up and absently put the phone down as Percy sat up on the couch and looked at her. Emma's mind was reeling with all the possible situations that could unfold from this. It couldn't be that serious, could it? Sure, Cleo's never run away before but that doesn't mean trouble, right?

"Is everything okay?" Percy asked with a large yawn. Her cerulean hues blinked as she snapped from her thoughts and looked at her cousin.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she reassured. It had to be. There was nothing to worry about, Emma was sure.

"Doesn't sound fine," Percy protested as he rested his cheek against the back of the couch. "Is Cleo missing?"

So much for not making a big deal out of it, Emma groaned internally.

"Yeah, kinda. But don't worry. She's around somewhere."

"Want me to help look? Annabeth and I are good at finding people," the demigod offered. Emma bit her lip. She had a feeling Percy wasn't going to leave her alone about this.

"Yeah, actually," she replied after a pause. Percy lifted his head and stared at her in surprise. He didn't _actually_ think Emma would let him help. He expected to get snapped at and then watch her storm away. Was this the real Emma? "Can you scope out the JuiceNet? You remember where that's at, don't you? That's one of the places she might be. I'm going to check some other local spots."

"Uh-sure?"

"Thanks." Emma opened her mouth to continue but stopped herself. "I was going to tell you to text me but you don't have a phone...could you just tell Cleo-if you see her-that I'm looking for her?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Great! Thanks, Percy. It's much appreciated." The mermaid beamed at him before she retreated upstairs to hurry up and get ready to head out. Percy remained on the couch in bewilderment of Emma's pleasantness. And then, a pang of smugness came over him. _Of_ course Emma came around. She just finally realized how great of a guy he was.

* * *

Percy and Annabeth obeyed Emma's request and went to the JuiceNet. They scoped out the area and asked Ash if he had seen her, which he had not.

Emma had met up with Rikki and they checked the beaches and docks before diving into the ocean and headed to Mako. They had as much luck as Percy and Annabeth. They even went as far as searched the island's beaches.

If Cleo wasn't at Mako Island or in the Gold Coast, where could she be?

* * *

The missing mermaid was swimming as fast as she could, cutting through the ocean without a destination in mind. Tears pricked her eyes and she squeezed them shut as her heart ached so much she thought there was something physically wrong. Her tail couldn't seem to propel herself fast enough, for once in her life she wished she had the speed of Emma or Rikki just so she could get the hell away from it all.

After fifteen minutes, Cleo started struggling for air and made way to the surface with some reluctance. As she inhaled the fresh, salty air, Cleo hated herself for surfacing. The ache in her chest did not subside-only intensified. The tears were now able to roll freely off her cheeks, dripping off her face with the rest of the droplets of water.

How did this happen? Suddenly the weight of everything came crashing down upon her. Cleo felt as though the weight of everything was suffocating her, like it was sitting on her chest, crushing her, and not allowing her lungs to be filled with air. The burden of being a mermaid. There was nobody she could trust with the secret save for Emma and Rikki. Not Zane, for he was never trustworthy. Not Lewis and it broke her heart. Because of this burden she shared with Lewis is how she got in this situation. It brought Charlotte to tormenting her and it drove Lewis to resenting her for it. He was never there for her-how could he? How could he support such an anchoring burden? How could anyone? Cleo was sick of it. She wished she never went to Mako Island with Emma and Rikki on that fateful night. She wished that she had never became a mermaid, never got powers, and never became more than a classmate with Lewis.

 _What place in the world does a mermaid have?_

Cleo wondered. She placed a hand over her chest where her locket normally hung. She knew that it always disappeared whenever she transformed but feeling its absence was only a bitter and cruel reminder of Charlotte ripping it from her maliciously earlier that day.

 _Under a microscope or in a circus, but never with a true family._

Cleo choked out a sob before submerging herself under the waves. Instead of going left or right or forwards or backwards, Cleo swam downwards. She was away from the reefs and there was nothing but the open ocean. She didn't have a true sense of direction but she didn't care. Cleo was going to go to the bottom of the ocean to find true peace.

As her form glided downwardly, Cleo closed her eyes and tried to hold her tears back and her sobs swallowed. Her thoughts were chaos and she felt nothing but self-loathing in her very bones. Every flick of her tail hurt. The water was getting colder but Cleo's blood had ran cold the second her father demanded her to wash the dishes before him. It must have been getting darker too. Cleo hardly swam beyond the reef but she knew that the deeper you go in the ocean, the darker it gets. Whether her eyes are opened or closed, it didn't matter to her.

Cleo's eyes fluttered open and she flinched at what was before her. Instead of darkness, she saw a path made of blue cobblestone and seashells. Her brow furrowed at the unusual sight and felt her figure drifting along it, following the path to wherever it may lead. After a few moments of swimming along the road, something even more strange and stunning came into her view.

At first, Cleo gaped at the sight in awe but she felt drawn to where the path ended. Cautiously, she approached it. It was like a city-sort of. The architecture reminded Cleo of something from her history textbook about ancient Greece, broken and all. Except here, the pillars and the buildings were made of stone and coral, not cement. She found herself swimming throughout the street-like ways, staring at all the exotic sea plants and bioluminescent jellyfish drifting overhead, reminding her of Christmas lights. Cleo was confused as to what she had stumbled upon but the underwater city, although destroyed and being rebuilt, was absolutely beautiful. The extravagance and ethereal atmosphere was almost overwhelming the mermaid.

Speaking of, her hazel eyes caught sight of something shocking to her left. Talking casually with one another under the light of a jellyfish were two _mermen_ , or so it seemed. Cleo wasn't sure but was taken aback. Their lower halves were tails just like hers but blue and the upper half _was_ human just like her too-but their skin was the same blue as their tails were. Their neon green eyes lit up, almost quite literally.

They both caught sight of Cleo and each waved a hand at her and smiled widely, revealing mouths full of shark-like teeth. It frightened Cleo and she turned away from them quickly and swam away. This day-it had to be some kind of dream, right?

As Cleo swam away, she found herself only deeper within the underwater city, but alone. She had noticed since she had entered the place that there were dozens of what appeared to be graves. Although the city itself was dream-like, she felt like death was draped across it. This unsettled her wildly. And yet, Cleo continued through, instead of just drifting up back to the surface.

There were thousands of different ways to explore the city as it was raised on the ocean floor rock, almost like it was perched on its own little reef at the bottom of the ocean. Cleo was determined to remain on the main way and not get herself _too_ lost than she already was.

And then she was there. At the top of the city was a grand palace made of pearl, sea stone, and abalone shell. The doorways were enormous and Cleo felt so small floating before them. Some gardens surrounding the palace appeared to be destroyed, but the ones that remained intact were as lovely as ever filled with exotic plants. The palace itself radiated a glow like the luminescent jellyfish that floating about it. And unlike how Cleo expected the bottom of the ocean to be, the waters were warm and she felt invited to enter the palace.

Of course, this was all a dream. So it didn't matter if Cleo was swimming into something greater than her, right?

The palace was grander on the inside than she ever thought possible. Cleo's mouth fell open and she felt as though she was gliding through a trance. There was a large gaping hole on the side of the palace that looked as though was having construction on it.

Cleo entered an incredibly large and open chamber and right there was throne of coral fit for a regal king. She peered around the throne and realized she wasn't alone.

Standing in front of a window and gazing out at the fish swimming lazily by was a tall _man_ with his back towards Cleo. He had two legs, which surprisingly came as a relief to Cleo, donning leather sandals, khaki Bermuda shorts, a very loud Hawaiian shirt, and a fisherman's cap similar to the one Lewis used to always wear. Cleo couldn't see, but the man was smiling softly.

He expectedly turned around and smiled at Cleo, "Hello."

What struck Cleo the most was not the man's deep tan, neatly trimmed black beard, or his serene smile, but his sea-green eyes. The last time Cleo was dazzled by such eyes was when she first locked gazes with Percy. And that's what _really_ freaked her out-this man looked _exactly_ like Emma's cousins, just thirty years older. She could see it in the eyes and he had that same brooding look Percy sometimes had.

The man removed his fisherman's cap (which Cleo now noticed it read "Neptune's Lucky Fishing Hat), revealing a head full of black hair, and when he did, Cleo noticed how scarred his hands were. They were scarred almost identical to her father's; fishermen's scars.

"...Hi?" Cleo sputtered. It suddenly dawned on the brunette that she didn't need to be holding her breath. She had exceeded fifteen minutes within the city and she was too culturally shocked to have noticed that she was breathing fine and naturally all along.

He merely smiled at her kindly and released the hat from his hand. It floated up for just a second before it vanished before Cleo's eyes. Her jaw fell open but the man remained unfazed and turned his gaze back out the window.

"Do you love the ocean?" he finally asked. Cleo wasn't sure if she heard correctly but he stared at her expectantly. His eyes seemed to beckon her silently. Cleo floated closer to him-but did not join him at his side-and peered at his view. All she saw was nothing but the blue ocean and hundreds of different kinds of fish swimming about. The sight was calming; fish always seemed to have that effect on Cleo.

"Aren't they peaceful?" He was right. Peaceful. That was the word Cleo always used to describe fish and that was one of the reasons why she loved them so. "Even though they're all different, they all get along."

If you count it as taking a step back when you have a tail and are underwater, that's what Cleo did.

"Who are you?" the brunette asked in a firmer tone with knitted brows. He returned his gaze back to her and chuckled.

"I'm Poseidon."

Cleo gave him a skeptical look, "Poseidon?"

"That's right."

"As in...like the Greek god of the ocean?"

"And horses. And earthquakes, storms, to name a few."

Cleo said nothing and stared at the man with wide, puzzled eyes and her mouth hanging open.

"And you must be Bella," Poseidon continued jovially.

"What? No!" Cleo didn't even _know_ a Bella.

"Oh, right. Sorry. My mistake-you're Cleo, aren't you?"

"How-how did you know my name?" her voice trembled.

"I'm the god of the sea, dear. I know all of the people in my domain," he answered. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"What?" Cleo repeated. "We're underwater!"

"Can I offer you a non-liquid-based refreshment?"

"No!"

"Suit yourself. I'd hate to be a bad host." Poseidon walked to the throne and casually took a seat on it. Cleo watched in disbelief that this was all happening before her eyes. But she had to admit, the image of the man sitting on the throne did seem like it was right.

"What is this place? How did I get here?" Cleo demanded, folding her arms.

"You swam here, didn't you? I don't know any other way to get here for a mermaid," Poseidon replied. "You're in Atlantis. Well, more specifically, my palace, of course." He chuckled softly again.

Cleo just stared at him, too stunned to say anything.

"Your eyes aren't naturally that wide, are they, dear?" Cleo narrowed them at him in annoyance. "They're quite lovely, don't get me mistaken. But your expression tells me you're upset or distraught. Is there something on my face?"

"No-there's nothing on your face…It's just that your face reminds me of someone I know."

Poseidon beamed, "Ah. You must be thinking of my son, Percy."

Cleo gasped at the revelation-or gasped as best as one could underwater, which really just released a bunch of bubbles.

"Percy-Emma's cousin Percy-Annabeth's boyfriend Percy-Percy Jackson-he's _your_ son? Is that right? The son of Poseidon?" Cleo stammered.

"Why, of course I am! How is my niece, by the way? I've never met her before but I would _love_ to someday."

Cleo blinked, "She's fine-but wait, wait! That would mean that Percy is half god! Right? His mom's human, isn't she?" A pause and a realization. "Does Percy's mom know that you're a god? Or Annabeth? Does _Percy_ know?"

Poseidon laughed at the surprised mermaid heartily but Cleo's expression was far from happy.

"Of course, of course, dear. Percy and I-and Annabeth too-fought wars together! He's become quite the hero," Poseidon explained.

"Wars?"

"Were you unaware?"

" _Clearly!_ "

"There were two, actually. Once against the Titans, and one against the Giants. He and all the demigods-and I guess the other gods on Olympus too-fought valiantly to stop from Olympus being overthrown. I couldn't be more proud of my boy."

"And Annabeth too?"

"Daughter of Athena, most unfortunately. But I suppose she's a good girl and makes my son happy and whatnot."

" _What?_ " Cleo's mind was spinning. Suddenly the terrors from earlier in the day had disappeared and the weight of Poseidon's words replaced it in Cleo's chest. Cleo rubbed her temples as she tried to comprehend the situation. Not only has Cleo discovered the lost city of Atlantis, not only has she met the god of the seas Poseidon, but Emma's cousin, Percy Jackson, was his son and he's practically saved the world? Twice?

"Why are you telling me all this?" Cleo questioned softly after a long and heavy pause.

"You asked, didn't you?"

Cleo closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them. She spoke more slowly this time, "No. I _mean, why_ are you telling _me_ this? _Why_ am _I_ even _here_?"

Normally a god like Poseidon would be offended by her harsh tone, but Poseidon's serenity wasn't fazed. He could see the pain and distraught in Cleo's eyes and he knew it wasn't about the mythology.

"I think it's proper I meet all the people in my domain. That includes you and your friends, and hopefully my niece too," he answered. "Especially since you're not like the merpeople here."

"Are you the reason for this?" Cleo asked quietly. "Are you the reason why Rikki and Emma and I became mermaids?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Why?" Cleo could feel her voice cracking as all her feelings from the morning came crashing on her again. If Poseidon turned her into a mermaid, he turned Charlotte into one too. "Why me? I didn't ask for this to happen. And neither did Emma or Rikki. Did you do it just so you could turn Emma into a mermaid because she's family?"

"No, no," Poseidon shook his head. "I chose you three for a reason. You had strong hearts and I know you're destined for great things."

This time, it was Cleo's turn to shake her head, and it was more violent than Poseidon's. Tears pricked her eyes and her hands balled into tight fists at her sides.

"No!" she cried out. "You chose _wrong_. I'm not fit to be a mermaid! I don't have a strong heart and I am _not_ destined for great things! You made a mistake, Poseidon. I'm not the right girl for you! Charlotte...is."

Poseidon paused and stroked his beard, mulling over Cleo's words.

"Charlotte is a special case," the god mused.

"Of course she is!" Cleo hissed. "This was what she was born to do, not me. She was Gracie's granddaughter. Gracie gave up her powers but the ocean is still in Charlotte's blood! That's why you picked her. You should have picked her in the first place and never had chosen me!"

"Do you wish for me to take away your powers?"

Cleo flinched.

"Take away my powers?" she repeated. "You can do that? How?"

"I'm the one who gave you your powers, Cleo," Poseidon said. "I can take them away just as easily. All you have to do is ask."

In an instant, Cleo can lose her powers. She can have legs again, never see Atlantis or Poseidon again, and she can wash dishes again. In fact, she could go home right now and wash the dishes right in front of her dad and Kim and not be afraid. Emma and Rikki would be...Cleo didn't know. She was doubtful if they truly cared about her feelings when they told her she couldn't see Lewis anymore. And Lewis...would he be interested in her again? Not as a girlfriend, but maybe as a friend. A normal friend and they can put all their history behind them. Start fresh. Charlotte would have nothing to hurt Cleo with. She already took her most precious things from her. What else could she do? Nothing. Because Cleo would have nothing.

Cleo would have nothing. The mermaid stared out the window behind the throne at the fish swimming together. Charlotte has taken everything from her-her boyfriend, her powers, her locket-but she couldn't touch Cleo's love for the sea. Nobody could. If Cleo gave up everything, she would have to give up the sea too. For what? Normalcy?

Her thoughts tortured Cleo and her heart ached like never before. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to do anything but curl up under a rock and stay there forever. She didn't want to make this decision. But she didn't want to live such a fearful life struggling to find an impossible balance. She was better off dead, Cleo was sure.

Cleo's eyelids drifted open, not even realizing she had squeezed them shut. Poseidon was watching her with a serious expression.

"I-" Cleo choked. "I-can't-"

Without warning, she whirled around, turning away from Poseidon, and swam away quickly, leaving only a swirl of bubbles before the sea god. She didn't look back. Cleo didn't even want to look forward but she couldn't bring herself to see those sea-green eyes again. She couldn't bring herself to do anything but swim out of the palace. The self-loathing stung every nerve in her body and she felt all these feelings of confusion, anguish, and despair all at once and it _hurt._

Poseidon didn't pursue her. She received strange looks from the merfolk scattered about but they went unnoticed. The second Cleo's form exited the palace, she gave a powerful and wild flick of her tail, and propelled herself into her super swim into the open ocean.

As the day wore on, eventually Cleo found herself in a life-threatening situation, surrounded by hungry sharks. She no longer was able to breathe under the water like she could in Atlantis. So it was either face hungry sharks or drown slowly.

Lewis had came to her aide, luring the sharks away with food and holding her hand the entire way to safety. They retired to a beach, one of their favorite spots they frequented on the mainland. They talked for a long while and gradually, Lewis's words eased Cleo's pain. He said all the right things, apologized, and reassured her his true feelings for her. Charlotte was now out of the picture, or so it seemed, and with Lewis politely requesting to be more than friends, things were looking up for the sad mermaid.

Lewis persuaded Cleo to go see Emma and Rikki, for they were worried sick. The two mermaids regrouped with the two demigods at Emma's house, waiting to hear from either Lewis, Cleo, or Don Sertori for any news.

"Lewis," Cleo murmured as she and the boy walked down the sidewalk. "Do you know anything about Greek gods?"

"Greek gods?" Lewis repeated. He ran a hand through his hair. "Not much except basic mythology. Why do you ask?"

Cleo bit her lip. Should she tell Lewis about her Atlantis adventure?

At Emma's house, she thanked Percy and Annabeth for their efforts but there wasn't any sign of her. She informed them about the twenty-four hour rule with the police and all they could do was wait. Percy knew Emma must have been worried sick. Annabeth noticed that Emma and Rikki acted almost guilty, like it was their fault Cleo had disappeared suddenly. They had explained to Percy and Annabeth that they were no longer on speaking terms with their good friend Lewis. Perhaps there was more to the story than Emma let on but Annabeth decided that it was best to wait and see if Cleo turns up or not.

The front door to Emma's villa had opened and Cleo shyly appeared from behind it with Lewis trailing.

"Cleo!" Immediately, Emma and Rikki leapt from their spots on the couch and Emma threw her arms around her best friend. As they hugged, Cleo's gaze drifted to Percy in the living room and they locked eyes. She stared at him intently; yes, he _had_ to be the son of Poseidon. The resemblance was too strong. And Annabeth, daughter of Athena? Was that right? The hug broke and Cleo gave her two best friends sheepish expressions.

"I'm...sorry, you guys," Cleo's hands knitted together anxiously as she paced across the house.

"Are you alright, Cleo?" Emma asked, flocking to one side of Cleo while Rikki joined the other. The brunette nodded and the group walked out onto the patio, Percy, Annabeth, and Lewis following behind.

"I'm fine," Cleo reassured. "But I'm sorry I worried you guys."

"We're sorry," Rikki insisted. "We drove you away."

"You're not hurt, right?" Percy chimed. Cleo couldn't help but stare at him again. He wasn't Percy Jackson, Emma's cousin from New York. He was Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon now.

"No," she answered. "You can thank Lewis for that."

The group smiled at the boy who remained silent the whole time. This puzzled Percy and Annabeth-didn't Emma just explain them earlier that they weren't on speaking terms?

"Where did you go?" Annabeth asked.

"It doesn't matter," Emma cut in. She placed a comforting hand on Cleo's shoulder. "What matters is that Cleo is here and she is safe. And we are very glad to see that."

"Great. I'm going to get food. Can I interest anyone in refreshments?" Percy offered. Cleo mentally shook her head. Poseidon's image wasn't leaving her head.

"I'll go with you and help," Emma suggested, beaming at her cousin. Emma, Percy, and Annabeth reentered the house, leaving Lewis, Cleo, and Rikki. Cleo placed a certain hand on Rikki's arm. She shot Lewis a look that told him to give them a private minute, earning a questioning expression from the mermaid of fire.

"Rikki," Cleo began in a low tone. "You're not going to believe what happened to me today."

"I heard Charlotte took your locket. I'm going to kill that-"

"No, no," Cleo cut in. "I mean, yeah, that happened. But something else did. I met Poseidon."

"Who's Poseidon?"

"You know, the sea god?" Rikki's serious expression turned into one of her casual smile. Cleo frowned.

"And what did 'the sea god' say?"

"That he's Percy's dad," Cleo responded seriously. Rikki snorted and laughed. "Rikki! I'm being serious!"

"Right! So being half something must run in the family! You got Emma, a half fish, and now her cousin, half god!" Rikki said jokingly.

"You don't believe me?" Cleo's features showed hurt and Rikki noticed this and stopped laughing.

"C'mon, Cleo. Mermaids are one thing. But the sea god? Really? Those are all just myths."

"Then what are we?"

Rikki didn't have an answer. Finally, after a long pause, "Look, Cleo. You've had a very long and rough day. You're very emotional right now and maybe you've just spent a little bit too much time with your head under the water. You might have just imagined it."

" _Imagined it_?" Cleo scoffed. She pursed her lips. "Great. Thanks for all the support, Rikki."

Rikki's mouth fell open as Cleo began to walk away from her.

"Cleo!"

Emma, Percy, and Annabeth returned to the deck with drinks in hand for everyone. Cleo had a look of determination on her face as she stormed up to the blonde mermaid and tugged on her arm.

"We need to talk inside now," Cleo insisted. Emma furrowed her brow and went inside. Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks and handed out drinks to Rikki and Lewis.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth asked. Rikki toyed with her straw as Lewis stared at her.

"She's just a little emotional after today," Rikki muttered.

"Man, the weirdest thing happened to me today," Percy began. Okay, so he's definitely had weirder days and weirder things happen to him, but this was weird for normal people, he guessed. "This guy was asking me all these questions today at the cafe. They were kinda personal too. They asked about you guys too."

"Really? Who was it?" Lewis questioned. Percy shrugged.

"Couldn't tell you." The demigod took a sip. "Some kind of doctor, I think."

Inside, Emma had set aside the two drinks she had brought out for her and Cleo and leaned against the countertop awaiting for Cleo to say something.

"Emma, have you ever met Percy's dad?" Cleo asked suddenly. Emma arched an eyebrow.

"Before Paul there was Gabe, but I never liked him much. He always smelled bad and he was very rude. But I never met Percy's birth father before," Emma replied. "Why?"

"What do you know about Percy's real dad?"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Emma returned.

"Just please answer the question," Cleo pleaded. "Please. It's important."

"I don't know much. He died right after Percy was born-I think he might have been lost at sea-"

"Lost at sea?" Cleo interrupted, her hazel eyes twinkling. Emma was puzzled by her enthusiasm.

"-Yeah…"

"Emma, Percy's dad didn't die and he wasn't lost at sea. His dad is Poseidon, the sea god!"

"What!?" Emma cried. Her surprised twisted into skepticism and even annoyance as she narrowed her eyes at the brunette. "Cleo, that is ridiculous. Percy's dad is not Poseidon. Where on Earth did you get such an idea?"

"I met him," Cleo protested. "I met Poseidon in his palace. He lives in Atlantis and he told me that Percy is his son and we were chosen to be mermaids-"

"Cleo, I know my cousin," Emma said. "He is not a demigod. He's just an ordinary guy."

"Percy is very muscular," Cleo stated. "How do you think he got like that?"

"How does being muscular mean he's the son of Poseidon?"

"Because he and Poseidon fought monsters and wars! Annabeth too did too. She's kinda muscular for a girl too because they're both demigods fighting against monsters from Greek mythology," the brunette explained. Emma shook her head.

"No, Cleo. Percy's just been working out because he wants to join the swim team at his high school. It's kinda hard to join a team when he gets kicked out of every school he goes to, but that's what he's been wanting to do," Emma insisted. "He wanted to race me to prepare for the team. He works out regularly because that's what he likes to do."

"What about his scars?" Cleo pointed out. Emma flinched. Cleo was sure she had her this time. "You've noticed them, right? Percy's got lots of scars all over the place. It's from fighting wars with Poseidon. They saved the world, Emma."

"Cleo," Emma's tone turned to ice. She took a deep breath and kept herself from snapping at her best friend in defense of her cousin. _She just doesn't know_ , Emma told herself, _don't be mad at her about it_. "A few years ago, Percy and Aunt Sally were in a car accident. They both got hurt really bad. Aunt Sally was in a coma for the whole summer. And that's why Percy is so scarred. It's from the accident."

Cleo's shoulders slumped and her hands fell to her sides in defeat. Emma was looking at her dead in the eyes. Cleo was so _sure_ she had Emma on that one. But now, was she sure of the whole god thing at all? Could she really just have conjured up the whole thing? Maybe the water pressure for being so deep in the ocean-or the cold-or the darkness-had her seeing things that weren't there and what didn't happen. Maybe Cleo conjured up Poseidon in her mind just so she could feel better about being a mermaid-

"Oh," came Cleo's quiet reply. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, Cleo. You didn't know," Emma's features softened as she squeezed Cleo's bicep reassuringly, but Cleo didn't feel any better. "But please don't bring this up. It's incredibly personal and a very sensitive subject for my whole family."

"Yeah, okay," Cleo murmured. Just then, Rikki, Lewis, Percy, and Annabeth entered the house all in good spirits. Their eyes fell on the somber scene between the two mermaids and for a moment, no one said anything.

Cleo cleared her throat but she couldn't bring her eyes to meet anyone's, feeling the defeat settle over her heavily, "I have to go...my family's probably worried and it's getting dark out."

The mermaid turned on her heel quickly and walked briskly out of Emma's house. Lewis awkwardly set his drink down and jogged after his love, following her out the front door.

"Everything okay?" She nodded. "Hey, so about that Greek mythology-"

"Forget it, Lewis."

A pause.

"What? I thought you were interested in it," Lewis protested. Cleo swallowed thickly and shook her head, staring at her feet as they walked.

"No, I'm not. Just forget about it, Lewis. They're just a bunch of myths."

* * *

 **AHHHHH THAT JUST HAPPENED**

 **I FINISHED THIS CHAPTER AND I AM VERY PROUD OF IT**

 **I THINK ALL OF YOU MIGHT HATE ME FOR THAT ENDING AND I'M SORRY BUT I HAD TO I REALLY REALLY HAD TO**

 **Did y'all like my Easter eggs?**

 **We are very very very very very close to the end of the story. It doesn't seem like it with the way I just ended it, but I promise you we are! This chapter is SO CRITICAL because now Cleo knows Percy's secret! Or does she? Maybe she just imagined the whole thing? STAY TUNED.**

 **As for my other H2O fanfiction I mentioned** last **chapter, yeah, it's still going to happen. I'm very excited about it but I won't touch it until this gets wrapped up (WHICH IS SOON I REALLY REALLY HOPE).**

 **Anywho, please don't hate me for what I did. Please review! I can't thank you guys enough for the overwhelming amount of support you've given me!**

 **-** Spiz


	19. Chapter 19

**WOWZA GUYS TWO CHAPTERS SO CLOSE TOGETHER IT'S A MIRACLE**

 **WE ARE VERY VERY VERY VERY CLOSE TO THE END. I AM SO VERY EXCITED AND VERY EAGER TO WRAP THIS STORY UP.**

 **First, thank you everyone for all of your support! I understand your growing frustrations but I hope that I will make you feel better! I'm not sure if this chapter will BUT THE NEXT COUPLE WILL I PROMISE YOU GUYS.**

 **auraofcalm: you make a very fair point and if you don't mind, I'd like to just say something in my defense. I've had this story planned out very specifically since the very beginning. Although it may not seem like it for you as a reader because I am so ambiguous, but I do have a plan. I've had a plan since this story began in 2015. This story is longer than I had planned because yes, I did get carried away with drawing out the long-awaited reveal. That's just what happens sometimes when you write fanfiction. ALL the time, in fact. Things happen unexpectedly but I am still very adamant at sticking with what I intend to do.**

 **In minor defense to Cleo, I'm very glad you brought this up! Yes, it is very sudden dropping Poseidon on you guys like that. Honestly, I have no excuse for it. I should** have **lead up to it, but I had absolutely no idea how to do that. Apologies. However, this is from "Sea Change." In "Sea Change" Cleo goes to a very dark place. She feels nothing but self-loathing and self-doubt and in the episode, she actually wants to commit suicide (she regrets it when she is actually faced with death but that's another thing). So since Cleo is in this very dark place, my thinking was that was why Cleo was brought to Atlantis. Poseidon knew her ver dark emotions and made himself known to her because yes, she is a member of his kingdom and he was feeling very benevolent. He was trying to help her, in a sense, by making her feel like she's a part of something greater. Was it the best way? No, but that was his way.** Afterwards **, although Cleo was feeling better after rekindling her relationship with Lewis and her friends, her self-esteem is still incredibly damaged. Throughout the entire show (save for season 3), Cleo has struggled with having very fragile self-esteem and Charlotte totally destroys that in her. So when Rikki and Emma shoot her down like that, that is Cleo letting her emotions get the better of her. She has no proof, she's making herself look like an idiot, and so she just gives up for the time being. I also wanted that to play out the way it did so I could answer the question of Emma knowing about Percy's scars. Emma is led to believe that it was the result of a car accident.**

 **Wow that was way longer than I had planned! Sorry! I understand your disgust and where you are coming from and I just would have liked to provide a little bit of my reasoning behind it. You are entitled to your opinion, but I do ask that you judge whether or not I wussed out after I complete this story (and I can promise you that will happen very soon since we're only a couple chapters away).**

 **Anywho, enjoy the story! This is a super long chapter and I have mixed feelings about it but I am pleased that we are moving along to the ending!**

* * *

Following Cleo's mysterious disappearance came another full moon; not just any full moon, but one that aligned with the planets a certain way—something this special only occurred every fifty years. This full moon was so powerful, that if a mermaid were to be in the moon pool with the moon overhead, it took away her powers permanently. This is what Gracie had done fifty years ago.

Emma, Cleo, and Rikki were unaware of the power of this full moon at first. They planned on camping out at Emma's again for the evening and try to come up with a plan to get everyone else out of the house. However, coming up with a plan became quite difficult, as Charlotte spent the day terrorizing the girls after they tried to warn her about it.

In the evening, Emma was only able to persuade her parents and aunt to go see a movie. Lisa insisted Emma takes Percy out to see one as well later on. This, of course, never happened. She had to be a little more manipulative and get Elliot to keep Percy and Annabeth busy for the evening for the sake of the full moon. She _did not_ want it to go as well as it did last time with Percy in the house.

Being the devil she is, Emma bought Elliot a new video game he could play upstairs. The boy was so delighted to have it and he just _had_ to show Percy and Annabeth, much to Emma's convenience.

However, little did Emma know that Charlotte would arrive at her house later on in the night. With the power of the full moon inside her, Charlotte wreaked havoc. Charlotte used her powers to tamper with the electricity and the water, erupting the villa into mayhem. This, of course, attracted the other people within the other household and thus none of the mermaids could fight back against Charlotte without revealing their secret.

Emma finally announced she was going to go "fix the problem" by going outside with Cleo and Rikki in tow. They were originally going to sit Charlotte out but Cleo found out that Lewis was taking Charlotte to Mako Island. Things in the house settled down after they left and Percy was able to fix the broken pipes and clean up the water.

However, he did not see Emma again for the rest of the night.

This agitated him and led him to believe that Emma merely ditched him to hang out with her friends—probably at some party like the average teenager would do, he guessed. It was quite disappointing to him, actually. Now he understood why Aunt Lisa once said she felt like she was losing her. And here Percy thought things were going great between them.

Emma did not return home until dawn. She and her friends had discovered the strange full moon's ability to remove a mermaid's powers. Together, Emma, Cleo, and Rikki overpowered Charlotte and got her into the moon pool, stripping her of her powers forever. They also made sure Charlotte would never spill their secret and Charlotte returned Cleo's locket.

Emma did not know what to expect when she returned home. When she approached the villa, a realization struck her: today was her mother's birthday.

Which mean that tonight was the surprise party Emma had planned with Aunt Sally. Emma kept all the decorations hidden under her bed and she was supposed to prepare the house while Aunt Sally and Paul kept her mother out of the house.

The blonde winced at her realization. She was exhausted and drained from the night's events—all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a day. But with all the preparations she had to do, there wasn't any time for sleep.

Emma arrived at her home and very quietly crept into the house from the back door, careful not to let the door even creak. Once in the hallway behind her kitchen, Emma tiptoed to the stairs without making a single sound.

"Emma," a masculine voice called from the kitchen. The mermaid froze in her steps in front of the staircase and cringed. She wished it wasn't who she thought it was. Emma turned around and saw Percy in the kitchen, leaning his back against the counter and his arms crossed.

"Good morning, Percy," Emma greeted sheepishly as she approached him. Percy did not look amused or cheery.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "You've been gone all night!"

"Shhh!" Emma shushed. "Don't wake anybody up, Percy!"

"Where have you been, Emma?" he repeated in a quieter tone.

"I told you—I had to fix the problem. There was an emergency I had to attend to—"

"What kind of emergency?" Percy pried with a skeptical look. Emma scowled at him.

"You know, it's none of your business, Percy. I don't ask you about everything you do in New York," she snapped.

"It's just one excuse after the other, isn't it?" the demigod hissed. Emma narrowed her eyes.

" _Excuse me_?"

"I've had it, Emma. I don't know what's up with you, but I've had it with all your lies and disappearances!" the demigod hissed. Emma narrowed her eyes. Her next words were slow but like knives.

"You want to talk about disappearances?" Emma said. Her aunt's tearful confession to her mother flashed vividly in Emma's mind. Percy's face fell. "You have _no room_ to talk, Percy! Aunt Sally doesn't know where you are half the time! She doesn't know where you are or what you're doing. I get it Percy—you were away at boarding school because you cannot even fathom staying in a normal high school for more than two weeks! You know, she's _terrified_ of losing you and waking up one more and you're gone! Has it ever occurred to you to simply call your mother?"

You know, Percy has dealt with a lot of bad guys in his day. He's been betrayed before and bad guys and monsters alike have all told Percy harsh things before. Annabeth scolded him every other day it seemed like. But Emma's words _hurt_. They _stung._ It was as if she slapped him in the face.

Percy wasn't sure what was more frustrating—her truth or her ignorance. Oh, if _only_ he could tell Emma what exactly he deals with every single day of his life since he was twelve. If only Emma knew what it was like to be a demigod. He was so angry at her he didn't know where to even begin.

"I would have if I could've!" Percy growled. It was Emma's turn to flinch. "You don't even know what you're talking about! You don't know what I've been through. You _literally_ wouldn't survive a day in my life."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't know what you've been through," Emma retorted icily. "And you don't know what I have been through either. You know why? Because you shut us out. You shut us out when we were twelve years old and I haven't heard a peep from you since. And it's not just us, but you shut Aunt Sally out too. Me? I'm used to it. Five years of practice, right? But you're hurting her!"

Percy snorted, but it was far from happiness, "Like you're so _innocent_. You could have tried to reach out too, you know! All you do is study and get the perfect grades while you live in the perfect house and hang out with your perfect friends! You're just the perfect daughter and the perfect big sister who already has her life together! What's there to worry about? Breaking a nail? Getting a grade lower than an A on a test?"

Emma was glowering at Percy. Before she could cut in, he continued.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Life must get pretty hard for someone like you. It must be so hard to be so perfect. In fact, it's _so_ hard that you'll just throw away all of your dreams and your chances of being an Olympic swimmer!" Percy chuckled darkly and shook his head. "Must be _some_ privilege you got there. How fortunate you are that you can just throw away your hopes for the future like that! Me? I can't even study! Aunt Lisa was right—you've changed. Nobody knows who you even are anymore, Emma. _I_ certainly don't know who you are. Maybe if you tried being even a little bit empathetic, tried to think about yourself a little bit less and a little bit more about others, then maybe you'd be less of a bitch."

The mermaid said nothing. Every word was like a punch in her gut. This was a new side to Percy, one Emma's never seen. Angry, darker, colder. She didn't know Percy was capable of saying such things. His words, although they hurt her, also made her blood boil.

"Whatever you've been through has only turned you into an asshole, you know that? Why don't you go back to New York and never speak to me again for another five years? Better yet, keep your sorry ass there forever! Because I _never_ want to see you again! It's what you're best at, after all!"

"Perfect! Because I never want to see you again either!"

"I _hate_ you!" Emma yelled. "I'll make this easier for the both of us!"

Emma spun around, unable to even look at her cousin for a second longer. She stormed to her front door.

"I hate you too!" she heard Percy yell back. But the only response Percy received from her was the slam of the front door.

* * *

The night before was quite the stressful evening for Cleo. But it was also the greatest relief she had felt. Now she could swim freely without being harassed. And that's just what Cleo did. She swam lazily in the reef without a care in the world.

There were so many different brightly colored fish swimming peacefully about the reef. Cleo enjoyed visiting with every one of them. Poseidon was right. _Even though they're all different, they all get along_. Cleo couldn't have said it better herself.

Poseidon nagged Cleo in the back of her mind. She regretted offending Emma a few days before. In fact, she felt totally embarrassed. She had no idea Percy and his mother were in a car accident. You wouldn't have known it if you looked at either of them regularly. It's a good thing that Cleo didn't confront Percy himself. _That_ would have been so awkward and embarrassing for her.

Cleo just couldn't have imagined Atlantis, could she? She ran her hand across walls and felt the smooth shell of the buildings on her palm. Perhaps Poseidon looked like Percy so much because Cleo imagined him to be like that. She combined Percy's image with the image of her father, who she was upset with at the time. Reasonable, right? It was a very emotional and exhausting day for her so it's only natural Cleo had a very…very…vivid daydream…right? No. Cleo was positive that it was real. She had no evidence and there was no way anyone was going to believe her, but Cleo knew that it was the truth. Question was...what could she do now?

The mermaid glanced to the surface where the sun shone, but something was blocking it. A boat—bigger than a fisherman's boat—Cleo guessed it was a yacht—moved along the surface. She watched it pass overhead and didn't think much of it. She saw boats all the time. Her form slowed, however, in case the boat noticed her on their radar, but they usually always carried on. And that's just what this boat did.

However, after the yacht had passed, something fell into the water a few meters away from Cleo. It gleamed in the light as it sank and Cleo swam to it, curious. It was a shiny, metal ring, as round as a basketball. It was quite peculiar and Cleo grabbed it and examined it closely. Things were always dropped in the ocean but nothing like this. There was nothing extraordinary about it but the brunette wondered as she turned it around what it could be used for. Did someone on the yacht accidentally drop it?

Just as Cleo was about to abandon it, the ring suddenly sprang out from her hand and opened. She flinched in surprise but before she could do anything else, the unraveled ring shot itself at her and coiled around the mermaid's form, around her arms and bringing them to her sides tightly. Cleo gasped, releasing a bunch of bubbles and squirming in place. She tried to move her arms and wiggle them out of the cold metal ring but it was futile. She couldn't move them enough to manipulate the water to assist her. Wildly, Cleo flicked her tail and thrashed about in the sea but to no avail. It was locked and clenched at her elbows, securing around her entire body and preventing her from moving anywhere.

Without any warning, the metal ring beeped. A second later, it released an electricity from it against Cleo's form. She screamed but it was silenced by the ocean as her entire body was shocked violently. It felt like it hit every nerve—every fiber of Cleo's being relentlessly and she jerked and twisted in every direction desperate to free herself from the unbearable pain.

It was too much for Cleo. Her body couldn't take it any longer and she lost her grip on reality. The darkness crashed into her hard and her body went still, floating limp and helpless in the ocean blue.

* * *

Later, after a well-deserved nap, Rikki was going for a stroll in the park. She was going to meet up with Zane and tell him about the huge weight that has been lifted off her shoulders. He's going to be so jealous when he hears about Rikki's heroics from the night before.

It was still fairly early so there wasn't many people around but that's just how Rikki preferred it. Even if it was early, the mermaid of fire enjoyed her leisurely stroll in the park.

A man approached her. He was older, taller, muscular, wore wire-rimmed glasses, and dressed sharply (save for the large backpack over his shoulders) with his hair combed neatly, "Excuse me, miss."

Rikki quirked an eyebrow at him, "Can I help you?"

"You can, actually," he smiled at her. "My name is Dr. Finely. I'm conducting research here and I was wondering if you would like to participate."

"Sorry. No can do. I don't do research," Rikki gave him a farewell nod and was on her way. However, as she walked past him, his hand seized her forearm. "Hey!"

"We would really like for you to participate, Miss Chadwick," he continued. Rikki ripped her arm away from him and stared at him in bewilderment.

"Stay away from me!" she hissed before running off.

However, Dr. Finley merely smirked as his gaze trailed the dashing mermaid. He shrugged off his backpack and unzipped it. He removed two shiny metal discs the size of Frisbees. A button was pressed on each and a red light came on each of them. The man released each disc from his hand. Instead of dropping to the ground, they hovered. A second later, the discs were flying in pursuit of Rikki as Dr. Finley re-zipped his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. The discs raced towards Rikki at an incredible rate while Dr. Finley followed at a leisurely pace behind them.

As Rikki approached the exit to the park, her run slowed to a jog, figuring she put enough space between herself and the crazy doctor. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of the twin shiny discs. The blonde stared at them curiously but as one of them drew near, a string of electricity shot forward from it at the girl. Rikki gasped and ducked out of the way.

"What the hell?!" She missed the electricity, but the second disc shot another at her. She narrowly weaved out of the way and broke into another run.

Rikki ran straight across the street, dodging cars and earning honks but she safely made it to the other side. The discs flew behind her unwavering and accelerating. Rikki sprinted faster and tried to shake the discs off her tail by rounding corners and nearly toppling strangers over but the discs were not shaken. The discs floated above the people and objects so there was nothing to stand in their way or slow them in their pursuit.

Heart pounding and a sweat breaking across the mermaid's brow, Rikki was getting tired and desperate. With each look over her shoulder it seemed the saucers were closer. She was hoping somebody would intervene but strangers only saw a running girl, not shiny metal discs zipping above their heads.

Desperate, the blonde ducked into a dark alley. Maybe she could hide. When she noticed they followed her into the alley, Rikki regretted her decision. There wasn't anywhere to hide except behind a dumpster and it was a dead end.

Rikki skidded to a halt and whipped around. Alright then. If they're not going to leave her alone, then she's going to fight them. Rikki raised her hand and summoned her firepower. She had never done such an act before, but desperate times call for desperate measures. A flame combusted into her hand suddenly but it did not burn her. The flame condensed itself into a fireball and Rikki gave a great wave of her hand, sending the ball flying into one of the discs. The fireball collided against the shiny metal and it exploded.

 _Not so fireproof_ , Rikki mused.

The other disc shot itself towards her and Rikki quickly began to summon her magic again. In the next instant, lightning suddenly crashed down upon it from the sky. It struck the final disc down into the asphalt and it was no more. There was a low rumble of thunder that followed Rikki's lightning and dark clouds formed, blocking the sun.

Rikki smirked and placed her hands on her hips as her gaze settled on the shattered pieces of metal and the black marks left from her powers. She was quite satisfied indeed.

Without any warning, an arm hooked around Rikki's throat and pulled her back against a taller form. Rikki gasped and struggled against the person, but they were too strong. She wiggled and squirmed against them but it was futile. His free hand held a small cloth which he clasped over Rikki's mouth and nose. Once the mermaid inhaled the scent from the cloth, darkness swept over her like a wave and she collapsed into his arms.

* * *

As soon as Emma had ran out of her own house, she made a beeline to the ocean. She walked so briskly that she was practically jogging and had people dodging out of her way. She didn't care though. Emma was in such a fury that she just wanted hit something or freeze something. She didn't do either, and instead dove into the water and swam as fast as she possibly could to Mako Island.

In the moon pool, Emma pulled herself on the rock and rested her head against it. It was only hours ago that Emma was there and had faced off against Charlotte. Suddenly it seemed longer than that.

Emma was so furious at Percy. She had no idea he was capable of saying such cruel things to her. _He_ had no idea what kind of night he had. Hell, he had no idea of the life she had to live. Emma had to leave before she declared that she was a mermaid to shut her dumb cousin up about everything. But he would never understand. And Emma knew that she was right. Percy and Aunt Sally and Uncle Paul and Annabeth were all leaving tomorrow and Emma knew that she was never going to see them again. Why would she? They live on opposite sides of the world. And they have nothing in common except for the fact that Sally and Lisa were blood sisters.

What an idiot, Emma thought. Percy understood her so little. It's not like he sprouted a tail every time he came into contact with the smallest droplet of water. It's not like he just nearly lost all his powers the night before and had to fight against some vicious water snakes or anything. It's not like he had to stop a reckless mermaid from making a gigantic disaster or anything.

He and Emma were just finally getting along. Why did he have to screw it up? It wasn't fair. Emma's heart was breaking and her chest ached painfully. It wasn't fair. She hated this. She hated it all.

Emma remained in the moon pool for a while. She didn't know how long it was nor cared to. Her form laid against the rock and she closed her eyes, trying not to let her feelings overwhelm her but it was too late.

Finally, after deciding it has been long enough, Emma pushed herself under the cerulean water and launched herself into her super swim out of the moon pool.

Unfortunately, awaiting Emma at the entrance of the moon pool was a large net. Her body collided against it and the net enveloped her entire figure securely. The blonde was thrown into a frenzy. She grabbed the net and frantically tried to shake it and pull it off of her. It only seemed to entangle around her further. This wasn't an ordinary fishing net and nobody would put a fishing net across the entrance of the moon pool. It was a trap. Somebody knew Emma was in there and somebody was trying to capture her. The mermaid struggled desperately but nothing was accomplished. No matter how wildly she threw herself, she was forever trapped.

And just then, the entire net became alight with electricity.

* * *

Not much long after Rikki's run in with Dr. Finely did Zane arrive at the park. However, Rikki was nowhere to be seen. He checked his watch, making sure he was on time or if he was early, but he already knew she was running late. He sent her a few text messages but they went unanswered. So then Zane called her and it went straight to her voicemail, as if his call was rejected or her phone was off. Quite peculiar, for Rikki rarely had her phone turned off, he tried calling her a second time and received her voicemail instantly.

After an hour of waiting in solitude, Zane decided that Rikki was not going to show up and returned home irritated. It wasn't like Rikki to blow him off and he didn't appreciate it in the slightest.

When he arrived in his large, extravagant home, he heard the home phone ring. It was probably Rikki, Zane guessed, and he did not go to answer it. Instead, he went to the fridge and let it ring. If Rikki was going to blow him off and not answer his calls, then he's not going to answer hers.

The phone station beeped and his father's voice from the voicemail played. Zane munched on some grapes and continued to ignore the voicemail, expecting to hear an apology spill forth from it.

"Hello, Mr. Harrison Bennett. My name is Dr. Cecelia Swanson," a female voice introduced. "I was calling to inquire about a business proposition with you. It has come to my attention that you had previously funded research in the scientific study of mermaids."

The fridge door slammed shut and the grapes nearly fell out of Zane's mouth.

"I would like to propose to you another project in the scientific study of mermaids. We have three specimens already to interest you in. This can be very valuable research and I can guarantee it will be far more successful than Dr. Denman's original experiments—"

"This is Harrison Bennett," Zane spoke in a deeper tone after he leapt at the phone in the station and cut off the woman.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Bennett," she greeted breezily.

"You have mermaids?" he demanded.

"Three of them. Two blondes and a brunette. All in prime condition. Would you be interested in partaking in our study?"

"I have to see them first," Zane commanded.

"Of course. But you must understand I can only show you one of them unless we start discussing funding and contracts. When can you meet?"

"Today. Right now, actually."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

Dr. Swanson gave Zane her phone number and an address to meet her at. The address was located by the docks and Zane jotted it down as quickly as possible. After she gave him the information, he hung up the phone and bolted out the door.

* * *

Zane ran to the docks. Rikki was never late—she was kidnapped. How anybody knew about his father and Dr. Denman and the mermaids was beyond him. But he had to do something to rescue them before something very bad happened. His gut twisted painfully at the thought of something happening to Rikki—or any of the girls. Dr. Denman flashed in his mind and he grimaced at the horrible memory. Was she back in town? Was she out for revenge?

But that couldn't be true. Her reputation was ruined when her "project" failed and she saw the girls give up their powers. Granted, it was only for twelve hours, but Dr. Denman didn't know that. Who could it be? Who is Dr. Swanson?

Zane jogged down to the docks where he planned to meet them. He went past the fishing boats and traveled further towards the larger ships and expensive yachts. It wasn't an unfamiliar area to him, for his father had multiple yachts they have gone out on. Zane didn't have to bother finding the right number because he was able to spot three figures waiting patiently before one of the boardwalks. A female—whom Zane guess was Dr. Swanson—and two large males that were both taller and more muscular than him. They appeared to be security guards and wore blank expressions.

He slowed in his jog as he approached the trio and a frown began to etch itself into Dr. Swanson's features. She was very pretty but she was older than Dr. Denman, appearing to be in her late forties or early fifties. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into a neat bun. She was dressed in a sharp pantsuit and held a clipboard to her chest. Behind her, the two burly security guards were dressed in simple, all black clothes. The darker skinned one wore a nametag that said, "M. Sharp" and the other man's said, "T. Stone."

"Can I help you, young man?" Dr. Swanson asked. With the look Zane was giving her, she knew what he was here for.

"The mermaids," he breathed, trying not to sound out of breath from running to them. He tried to ignore the security guards and tried not to panic. He had absolutely no plan and no backup. He was no match for either of them. "I'm here for them."

"I'm afraid they are unavailable," she clipped.

"My dad's not coming," Zane informed. "He never was. I was the one who answered the phone and even if he did, he would ever participate in something like this. I'm not leaving without seeing them."

"How disappointing. You've wasted your time, young man," the older woman scolded. "They aren't open to the public yet. You best be off now."

Zane's face flared with fury. He reached out and grabbed the woman's bicep just as she was turning away and pulled her face close to his, "I'm not going to tell you again. Those mermaids are not yours. They're people. They're girls. Let them go _now_!"

Suddenly, two hands clasped over Zane's shoulders and pried him violently off Dr. Swanson. He felt his body being thrown across and crashed down against the cement painfully. His head had thrown back and hit the cement so hard his vision darkened and he saw spots. His lips parted and a low groan was released. He could hear the woman chuckle darkly across the way.

"We are done here, Zane Bennett. I suggest if you know what's good for you to stay out and away from this. Goodbye."

The wind was knocked out of the teenager and he struggled to push himself upright. The world was spinning around him but he could make out the three forms walking along the dock to a particular yacht. He tried to push himself up onto his feet but he stumbled and found it impossible to catch his breath. The trio sauntered up a ramp to one of the largest yachts in the yard. As soon as they were on board, the ramp disappeared inside of it and the ship was started up. Zane could make out the letters on the side of the ship, "The Siren's Song."

Zane knew he was in over his head. He had to get help. Lewis would know what to do. He and Lewis have done this before and they can do it again. As soon as Zane was able to steady himself on his feet, he ran off.

* * *

In the Gilbert household, Annabeth leisurely descended the stairs and found Percy pouting in one of the armchairs. Usually she awoke before he did, but the daughter of Athena nonetheless greeted her boyfriend with a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning," she said.

"Morning," he grumbled. Percy was uncharacteristically frowning and had a look on his face like he was ready to murder somebody. Annabeth frowned at the other and placed her hands on her hips.

"Is somebody grumpy?" Annabeth teased. "Somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"Not now, Annabeth," Percy protested, propping his elbow on the arm of the chair and placing his chin in his palm. _Wow, something must really be bugging him_ , Annabeth mused.

"Alright then," was all she said. "Have you seen Emma? She hasn't been in her room at all."

"Beats me."

"You're not concerned that Emma has been gone for twelve hours?"

"Nope."

Annabeth sighed and realized it was Emma at the root of his crabby mood. She walked around Percy and sat on the coffee table in front of him.

"Alright, now what happened?" Annabeth asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," he clipped. Annabeth rolled her stormy grey eyes.

"C'mon, Seaweed Brain. Something happened between you and Emma. What was it?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!"

Annabeth didn't flinch but she narrowed her eyes at Percy's outburst, "Don't take it out on me! I was just trying to help! But if you just want to sit around and mope, be my guest!"

Percy said nothing and Annabeth stared at him expectantly. When the son of Poseidon remained silent, Annabeth got to her feet and walked to the kitchen. She got herself a glass of water and took a hearty drink before looking back at the boy in the living room.

"Isn't today your aunt's birthday?" Annabeth reminded. Percy said nothing but his lips formed a tight line. He had completely forgotten today was his aunt's birthday. Emma had planned a big party for her tonight and was going to get the place ready. However, he hasn't seen, nor would care to, her since their heated argument early in the morning.

The doorbell rang, disrupting the heavy silence that had filled the air. Annabeth stared at the water in the glass before looking up at Percy once again.

"Are you going to get that or shall I?"

Percy huffed and got to his feet and stormed over to the front door and threw it open. Ash was on the other side, carrying two large bags containing party supplies. He seemed alarmed when Percy so angrily threw open the door but decided against saying anything.

"Hey, is Emma here?" he asked sheepishly. Percy frowned.

"No."

"Oh. Do you know when she'll be back?"

"No."

Ash swallowed. _What's eating him_? He thought to himself. What are you supposed to say to this?

"She asked me to drop off some supplies and help her set up. Do you mind if I drop them off?"

"Sure. Whatever." Percy sulked away from the door and left it open to invite Ash in. Ash blinked and followed him inside. The demigod returned to his spot in the chair and Ash placed the two bags on the kitchen counter.

"Hello, Ash," Annabeth greeted brightly with a smile. Ash returned her smile, glad to see somebody in a good mood around there.

"Hi," he returned. "I should give Emma a call and see if she wants me to do anything while she's gone."

He received no response as he fished his phone from his pocket and dialed her number. However, when he called her, the number went straight to voicemail.

"Weird. She's not answering," Ash muttered as he furrowed his brow. Percy rolled his eyes from his armchair but remained silent, much to Annabeth's annoyance.

"Hello! Anybody home?" Before Ash could do more, a masculine voice broke the silence from the front door. Lewis strolled into the living room and was surprised at the sight he was presented with. The tension hit him like he ran into a wall and his face dropped at the somber group.

"Hey, Lewis," Ash said and Annabeth gave a small wave behind the taller man.

"Is Cleo here? Her dad said she went out and I figured she must have come here to help Emma with her party and all," the blond informed. Annabeth shook her head.

"Emma is MIA currently," Annabeth responded.

"I tried calling her and it went to her voicemail," Ash added. Lewis pursed his lips and knitted his brow together as he slipped his hand into his pocket.

"Weird because I tried calling Cleo earlier and she didn't answer either," he murmured as he produced his cell phone. When he opened it, there was a new message waiting to be opened by him from Zane.

 **THE GIRLS ARE IN TROUBLE. THEY'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED AND I NEED YOUR HELP.**

Lewis's face visibly paled and his throat dried. He glanced up and briefly looked at Ash and then at Annabeth, both of which were staring at him with puzzled expressions.

"I—uh—I—gotta—" Lewis stammered, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth asked. Lewis swallowed and quickly nodded but Annabeth remained unconvinced.

Just then, Zane burst through the front door, startling everyone on the first floor. He was at Lewis's side in an instant, breathing heavily with sweat dripping across his brow. Everyone stared at the man in bewilderment.

"Lewis!" he panted and smacked the blond's arm. "What's that thing in your hand?!"

"A phone…?"

"When you have a phone, you answer it!" he hissed.

"I just got your message!"

"Emma isn't here, is she?" Zane asked Ash and Annabeth. They both shook their heads and Zane nearly let out a frustrated groan.

"She's not answering her phone," Ash informed. "And apparently neither is Cleo. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Zane snapped at him. "But we got to go, Lewis. _Now_."

"Right!" Lewis and Zane didn't waste another second to get out the door. Annabeth stared at where they stood with raised eyebrows and Ash was completely lost. He tried to figure out what was going on between Zane and Lewis but there was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that was suddenly making itself known within him. Unable to shake the pitiful feeling, Ash quickly followed after the other two men without saying another word to either of the demigods.

"Okay, what's going on?"

Lewis and Zane both stopped in their tracks at the sound of Ash's voice. They each reluctantly turned around to face the other. Once Zane laid eyes on Ash, he glared at him.

"This doesn't concern you," Zane said icily. Lewis glanced at Ash and feared that Zane was going to make matters worse by picking a fight—something Lewis really would hate to get caught in the middle of.

"It's about Emma, Cleo, and Rikki, isn't it? They're missing, aren't they?" Ash accused. Zane's mouth formed a tight line and his fists clenched.

"Not, uh, exactly," Lewis cut in. "They're fine, I'm sure."

"This isn't any of your business, Ash," Zane growled. Ash narrowed his eyes at Zane.

"It's every bit of my business as yours, Zane. Emma is my girlfriend and I care about her very much." Zane scowled and rolled his eyes before turning away from Ash.

"We don't have time for this. Let's go—"

"This is about them being mermaids, isn't it?"

Zane and Lewis froze once more. Their hearts stopped once Ash uttered the words and Ash knew he struck a nerve within them. The last thing Zane wanted was _more_ people to find out about the girls' secret. He was already angry enough some scientists with a boat have discovered it and have captured them for it. Now one of Zane's least favorite people knows too?

Zane whipped himself around and stormed into Ash's face, "How do you know that?"

Ash remained unfazed and shoved Zane back by the shoulders. It was an expected response for someone as hotheaded as Bennett and Ash wasn't going to tolerate any of his intimidation games today. Zane stepped forward defiantly but before he could lay a hand on the other, Lewis stepped in between them with his back to Zane and a sheepish expression to Ash.

"What he, uh, means is…how _do_ you know that…exactly?"

"Emma told me a bit ago."

" _What?_ "

Annabeth then turned her sharp gaze onto Percy, who had remained silent and unmoving from his spot in the chair. At first, she thought he was sleeping. But as soon as Ash slammed the door behind him, his eyes slowly fluttered open, but he still did not move. The daughter of Athena let out an irritated huff and her boyfriend's indifference to the clearly dire situation and rushed up the stairs. She went into Emma's bedroom at the front of the house and threw open the window to peer at the three teenagers on the sidewalk.

"So you mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" Ash demanded.

"Rikki, Cleo, and Emma have been kidnapped," Zane informed darkly. "By scientists. I don't know when, I don't know how, but it had to have happened this morning. I received a phone call from one of them looking for an endorsement and when I showed up—"

"You met with the kidnappers?" Lewis squeaked. "By yourself?"

"It wasn't the best plan, okay? I think I met with the main one. Her name is Dr. Swanson. We met at the docks and she got on a ship after she found out I wasn't there to give her any money. I think that's where the girls are being held right now. It's a ship called the 'Siren's Song.'"

Lewis and Ash exchanged nervous expressions. Both of their hearts started breaking. If they're being held on a ship, then that means that they can go wherever the scientists wanted them to be. How on Earth were three teenagers supposed to find them now?

"They could be anywhere," Lewis murmured softly.

"We have to hurry then," Ash insisted. "Maybe they haven't left yet. After all, if they're looking for endorsements, maybe they'll stick around and go find it from someone else."

"For once, Ash, I hope you're right."

The trio did not make any haste in leaving. Annabeth watched them disappear down the road before she bolted. She nearly leapt down the staircase to get to Percy fast enough. The son of Poseidon was where she had left him, sitting in the chair with his eyes closed but the same strained look etched into his features. Annabeth planted herself firmly in front of him and loomed over his figure.

"Get up, Seaweed Brain," she commanded firmly. Percy opened his eyes and glared at his girlfriend. "That wasn't a question, Percy. Get up, now!"

"Why? What's your problem?" he grumbled. Annabeth punched him on the arm.

"Emma is in trouble. She's been kidnapped!"

"So? Why don't you call the police?"

"Percy!" she cried angrily. "She's being held hostage on a boat! Who better than—oh, I don't know—a son of Poseidon to go rescue her?"

Said demigod remained silent.

"C'mon, Percy. She's your family! Get over whatever you guys fought over and let's go! They're never going to find her if she's being held on a ship. She can be taken anywhere by now! Unless you go find her and you _are_ going to find her, Percy. Now, c'mon."

Before Annabeth could painfully punch Percy once more, he got to his feet. His anger fell from his face and was replaced with something closer to concern.

"Alright. Let's go rescue her. And we have to hurry. I've got a bad feeling about this, " Percy agreed. Annabeth smiled at him and he returned it half-heartedly.

After grabbing her backpack, Annabeth and Percy were out the door in a flurry.

"You're also going to tell me about what you two fought over this morning on the way," Annabeth stated, earning a groan from the other.

* * *

Inside the "Siren's Song" were three tanks, each about ten feet wide and went up to the ceiling. They were bi-level, so the tank extended to the floor below all the way down, the floor of the upper level cutting it in half. The lower level of the tank was filled with water and fake rocks lined the perimeter of the glass at the surface of the water.

Rikki was in one tank labeled "001" and Emma was in the one directly beside her labeled "003." It was hard for the two blondes to communicate. Rikki was the first one taken out of her taken by the scientists, where they sanitized her painfully and then performed a less than comfortable physical of her mermaid body. When she was lifted out of the tank, she was very violent and fought against the captors. When she returned, she was melancholic. They lifted Cleo out and she resisted, not angry, but she was extremely terrified, screaming and crying and flailing, begging for them to let her go.

Emma and Rikki were just as terrified as Cleo was. However, Rikki's fear came out in anger and Emma put up a determined mask, never going to let the scientists see that they got to her.

"You can't do this to us!" Emma yelled but the glass muffled her voice. "We're people!"

"I'm afraid not," Dr. Swanson stood beside Dr. Finley, both of whom were smirking wickedly. "You're not human beings. We don't quite know what you are yet besides a mermaid but we are finally able to truly find out."

"How did you find us? How did you find out about us?" Emma demanded. Both the man and woman chuckled to each other devilishly.

"And why would we tell you?" Dr. Finley returned.

"Humor me, won't you?"

"It was quite easily, really," Dr. Swanson said. "Dr. Denman's project was a failure and she became a joke of the scientific community. No one dared to look at her fairytale research. But I decided to humor _her_ and I was quite intrigued at what I found. Even though the project was shut down after she lost you three and you gave up your powers, I had to see it for myself if it was true. After all, Denman's data was all there with numbers she couldn't have possibly come up with on her own.

"And then, things started to get a little interesting a week ago," she continued. "There were some strange disturbances. A little too strange to be weather-flukes. Your friend Charlotte Watsford was quite bad at keeping a secret. We waited and studied the four of you for the past several days and it was undeniable—you three truly hadn't given up your powers like Denman had believed. Which opened up an opportunity for us and we waited for the perfect time."

"What do you want from us?" Emma questioned.

"Research, of course. Why, this is one of the largest scientific discoveries in human history! Human skin cells instantly changing into fish cells? We're going to turn Denman's joke into something real. Something formidable. You're destined for great things in the scientific community."

Dr. Swanson and Finley left the room. The three tanks were located in a windowless room with blank walls and ceilings. The tanks took up most of the space but there was enough room for people to circle them. In fact, three security guards did just that. They circled the tanks like vultures waiting for their meal. In fact, the look in their eyes seemed like they were almost starving. Two large men—with nametags of M. Sharp and T. Stone—and a woman almost as large as the men with a nametag of C. Pond. It was deeply unsettling to Emma and she avoided looking at any of them directly.

Emma sank under the water and lowered herself to the lower level portion of her tank. She peered out the glass and found an identical room to the one above. Windowless, blank, and white. No security guards were roaming the lower level but Emma knew that they lurked throughout the premises. She counted over a dozen scientists and almost two dozen security guards when she was brought in. There had to be more—the blonde didn't have a clue to where she was and how large it expanded to.

When Emma resurfaced, she looked towards Rikki. Rikki leaned against the plastic ledge in the corner of her tank farthest from the door. It was terribly uncomfortable for all of them in these squishy tanks. She had remained silent the entire time since her return and barely even looked at Emma. Emma feared—what could they have possibly done to break _Rikki_?

Emma banged a fist against the glass and it hurt her hand more than expected. The glass didn't crack or break or even form a scratch, but it produced a loud enough sound to capture Rikki's attention. The mermaid of fire looked over at her friend and Emma tried to call out to her, but it was too difficult to hear. Cleo's tank was positioned between Emma and Rikki. It was hard enough to have a conversation with Cleo without bursting their vocal chords and Emma knew that it would be a waste of her voice to try and communicate with Rikki. Besides, how could they communicate and plan an escape with such watchful guards circling them?

And so, some time had passed. It was nearly impossible for Emma to tell exactly how long. She had no sense of time in the tank. All she could do was float and stare at the whiteness, making time pass agonizingly long for her and Rikki. But after some time had passed, Cleo was being carried into the room by several doctors and guards with Swanson and Finley strolling behind.

Cleo was practically dumped into her water. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she still had tears rolling down her cheeks. Her form sank to the bottom of the tank where she sat and leaned against the glass, rubbing her wrists and the ends of her tail while sniffling.

The sadness radiating off the innocent brunette had Emma's heart aching. Cleo was so soft-hearted. Seeing someone so pure in such a depressed state and not being able to comfort her did more than upset Emma.

Just after Cleo was dropped into her tank, Emma was retrieved from hers. Like Cleo and Rikki, she resisted. They lifted her from under her arms and somebody grabbed her thrashing tail. She was defenseless, she knew, but she had to fight them. She had to fight for Cleo and for Rikki because someone had to. Emma was not going to rot here in the hands of some scientists trying to make a buck off of her magic.

As Emma was being carried away, she felt something sharp sting her in the neck. Slowly, a strange feeling overwhelmed her nerves. It was as if her hands and tail had been turned into jelly. Her vision darkened but she did not lose her consciousness. With her body feeling like lead, resistance was impossible and all she could do was be carried down a white tunnel with an unknown destination.

* * *

 **soo! This was a very intense chapter. Like I said, I'm iffy about it. I'm excited that I wrote it because I've been wanting to write for a long time. But I'm afraid I did a bad job of writing it. And I will admit it already, I did absolutely nothing to lead up to this.**

 **And I will admit it already, I did absolutely nothing to lead up to this. It has been bugging me as I wrote out this chapter that there was nothing to lead up to this. I do apologize for it.**

 **I also want to immediately jump to Emma's defense because throughout this entire story I've done nothing but make her look like a bad guy. I hope you guys don't think** **so!**

 **I do hope you guys liked the chapter! Your support for this story has been nothing short of fantastic and I can't thank you guys enough! As always, please keep reviewing!**

 **-Spiz**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi, friends. So here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long! Hopefully, this monster of a chapter would make up for lost time. We are getting very close to the end here. This whole chapter was going to be way bigger but hey, things change. The end is near.**

 **So I'd kinda like to address the reviews. While I greatly appreciate them and adore to read them, I really dislike the reviews pressuring me to update sooner. I get that I left the story on a cliffhanger. The cliffhanger was intentional, my absence was not. I am a full-time college student. This story is my hobby, not my job. It just really annoys me when I get a notification almost daily asking me to update this story. You guys will have to trust me when I say that I will finish this story. I have the ending planned and it will happen. Please stop demanding for updates.**

 **I will respond to a few in particular that were constructive criticism:**

 **To guest suggesting I include BoO references: personally, I don't see how BoO would be incorporated into the story. With the way it is going to play out, it's just...not really relevant? I mean, it's relevant to Percy and Annabeth's story, but it's not relevant to THIS story. Besides, BoO was a terrible book, in my opinion. If I made BoO references, it would be my adjustments to the book and my own personal headcanons of how things really should have turned out. I was very disappointed with that book.**

 **auraofcalm: yeah, tbh, I'm not proud of my villains. You are right. I developed them as I later wrote chapters in this story, so I couldn't introduce them earlier. If I could have introduced them earlier, they would be better developed as real characters and not so cartoonishly evil. That's the one thing I would change in this story. But, also, the villains were never a primary focus in the story. This story was about Emma and Percy. The scientists just happen to be there to threaten them haha. I hope that these baddies won't be the reason to turn you away from the story. I'd rather it be the actual story to turn you away than some minor characters.**

 **Without further ado,**

* * *

Bright white lights shone mercilessly into Emma's eyes and over her mermaid form. Her eyelids ached for squinting so much, trying to make out the figures beyond the lights. Two people wore face masks and white coats that reflected the lights harshly as they hovered over her. The sedative had worn off Emma and her entire skin and every scale stung horribly from the sanitation process.

The scientists had now moved onto the physical. Emma was pinned to a frigid steel table with cuffs digging into her wrists and the base of her tail. Not only was the blonde drenched in sweat from the lights and the pain of being plucked at, but sprinkler heads hung below the lights over the mermaid. Every two minutes-Emma counted each passing second-the scientists would step back and sprinklers would spray a mist of water over her entire figure.

When Emma was moved from her tank, although her muscles were heavy and unmoving, she tried to take in as much of her surroundings as possible. Her blue eyes studied every feature she could find. Outside of the room didn't look much different than it did inside. The walls were all white and blank. There were, however, room numbers and arrows to different numbered corridors. There was no way to tell what was behind the closed doors so the numbers were practically meaningless to her.

Two agonizing minutes had finally passed again. The scientists looming over took a step back and Emma stole the fleeting moment and craned her neck to look at her surroundings. Blank walls. There was a person in a white coat on each side of her. Blank cabinets. Directly across from her was a long, table that she guessed was a giant computer board with another person in a white coat standing behind it and punching buttons. Blank tiled floor. The mist sprayed and Emma had to squeeze her eyes shut. She jerked her upper half of her body, desperate to be free from the torturous experiments. A sharp pain jolted her in each wrist when she strained against them, so sharp she cried out as if someone took a knife to her flesh. She swallowed a sob and the scientists rejoined her side chuckling.

"You're making it far harder on yourself by resisting, dear," Dr. Swanson's muffled voice goaded from Emma's right. Emma lowered her head back against the table and held her breath.

"Hand me a scalpel, will you?" Dr. Finely asked Swanson. He swapped his tweezers for a shiny, sharp scalpel that had Emma's blood run cold.

"What? No!" she cried out. She thrashed her body again and felt the stabbings in her wrists. Her fingers curled and uncurled wildly as best as she could, trying to will her element to appear in any shape or form. No magic happened.

"We need to sedate her again." Swanson placed rubber gloved hands on Emma's shoulder and ribcage to still her and Finley brought the knife to her bare abdomen. A shriek ripped from her throat as the metal tore her flesh.

* * *

"One 'Siren's Song,'" Percy announced as his head and Annabeth's broke the surface of the ocean. Their bodies floated next to the large yacht gliding over the waves. "Wow, this is way out from shore."

"Because they're trying to get away with Emma. Question is, why her? And her friends?" Annabeth mused.

"We're about to find out. Whoever kidnapped her is in _serious_ trouble." Annabeth noticed Percy glowered darkly when they were under the water. He grumbled the whole way about how angry he was at Emma's kidnapper and how he was going to make them pay. She knew that underneath all that anger and hostility, the demigod was worried sick.

"Let me up first," Annabeth commanded.

"No, I'll go first."

"I got my cap. I'll scope out the place and then tell you when it's safe to come up, got it?" Percy rolled his eyes.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Always, Seaweed Brain."

Reluctantly, Percy summoned the water to lift Annabeth up the ship's hull. She reached forward and grabbed the deck's railing and peered over cautiously. The deck was empty and she signaled a thumbs up to her boyfriend. The water lifted Annabeth higher and she pulled herself fully onto the deck of the ship.

Immediately, the daughter of Athena dropped to her knees, unzipped her backpack, and drew her Yankees cap. She secured it over her head and an instant later, her figure seemingly vanished. Now that she was invisible, Annabeth jogged along the shiny floors and tried to take in as much of her surroundings as possible. It seemed like there was an endless number of identical doors.

When she rounded a corner, it didn't look any different than the way she had come from. There was a pair of males donned in white lab coats deep in conversation strolling straight towards Annabeth. They didn't see Annabeth, not that she expected them to, and silently side-stepped around the pair when they passed her. Her scrutinizing gaze followed them and they disappeared behind one of the doors.

Instead of following behind the men, Annabeth went back to the railing she climbed over. Percy was where she left him in the water, but he looked prepared to take down Kronos's army. Annabeth lifted her cap off her head and waved him up.

Not a second later, Percy had propelled himself with a column of water over the railing and landed with a loud thud at Annabeth's side. As he straightened himself, he pulled his pen from his pocket and uncapped it, transforming into his Celestial Bronze sword.

"Shh!" she shushed. "We have to split up."

"What? No way!" he protested.

"This place is too big, Percy. We'll just have to split up and we'll meet up on the main deck up there," Annabeth pointed to the open deck space above.

"And what do I do if I run into somebody?"

"Try to snag a lab coat and pretend to be a scientist. Or a doctor. I saw a couple just a few minutes ago."

"What kind of place is this? Why would Emma be here?"

"I don't know. But we'll find her, Percy. She's around here somewhere. We'll get her and get out," Annabeth reassured. Percy nodded. He leaned forward and briefly pressed his lips to Annabeth. She returned his kiss only for a moment before breaking and stepping away.

"I'll see you soon, 'kay?" Percy said. Annabeth smiled and pulled the cap over her head, turning invisible once more.

"'Kay."

The demigods went in separate directions. Percy decided to cap Riptide, even though the Mist would have disguised it. After scanning his surroundings, he found the depressing stairwell to the upper levels of the ship and made his ascent. He pushed open the first door he saw after the first flight of stairs and stumbled into sunlight once again.

On the second deck level, Percy didn't have a chance to explore. He barely took his first steps and he heard an angry voice yell from down the hall, "hey!"

Percy didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to see the irritated, and perhaps slightly disappointed, adult heading his way. He's had enough of that from high school alone. Very slowly, his neck twisted around and he saw exactly what he expected. Only, this adult was dressed in a lab coat like Annabeth had described. Percy couldn't help but throw his hands up in frustration.

"Well, shit."

* * *

When Emma was taken, Cleo resurfaced in her tank and it felt as though she was being stabbed in the chest when she was carried out. Tears flowed from her eyes and she looked at Rikki, who had herself propped up against the fake rock in her tank.

"They're going to cut her open," the brunette sobbed. "They're going to hurt her so bad."

Rikki closed her eyes and tried to keep her breakfast from visiting her. Her skin and scales still stung but nothing compared to the hateful feelings that were building inside her. She hated this. She hated how vulnerable she was, how trapped, how weak and defenseless. She hated how someone as sweet as Cleo was experiencing this. She hated how someone as innocent as Emma was getting cut open by a bunch of doctors for the sake of having research. She hated that terrible things were being done to her and her friends and she was entirely powerless to stop it.

After an hour-which felt like an eternity to Cleo and Rikki-the security guards did something peculiar. It was weird enough that they circled the tanks for as long as they have without taking a break. Rikki and Cleo had gotten so used to them that they didn't realize how strange it was until they stopped.

Altogether, Sharp, Stone, and Pond stopped in their tracks. They looked around and Rikki wondered what they could possibly be looking for because there was absolutely nothing in this room but whiteness and tanks. All three of them took a moment to sniff the air before looking at each other, their expressions unfazed and as blank as the walls.

"There's demigods here," Sharp announced. Without saying another word or even so much as glancing at the two mermaids, the trio briskly left the room. Rikki and Cleo's features were puzzled and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What was that about?" Rikki asked the brunette. Cleo shook her head slowly and uncertainly. Demigods. She just heard that word before. That's what Percy would be, right? Half god, half human. But what does Percy have to do with anything? What does _demigods_ have to do with anything?

"I don't know-but it can't be good."

* * *

Annabeth remained on the first level. She silently made her way around the deck and scanned for anything unusual, since the walls were blank and all the doors were identical, save for numbered signs and staircase signs. She did come across large letters hanging on the wall between two doors reading, "The L.A.I.U.S. Project."

She arched an eyebrow.

* * *

"There is nothing on 'Siren's Song,'" Lewis announced. He and Ash sat at a table inside the JuiceNet cafe while Zane paced impatiently behind them. Lewis had before him a laptop, which he typed as much as he could to pull any information possible on the supposed yacht that held the mermaids captive.

"There has to be _something_ ," Ash protested. Lewis shook his head and continued scrolling through his searches.

"Nada."

"Goddammit, Lewis!" Zane growled.

"Hey, he's trying!" Ash snapped in Lewis's defense. "I don't suppose you got any other bright ideas, huh?"

"We're going to accomplish nothing if we keep arguing," Lewis reminded. "Zane, is there _anything_ you remember?"

"I told you everything. I got the phone call, they were looking for my dad for an investment, I met up with them and they attacked me before getting on a big yacht and on their way into the open ocean," Zane explained.

"Who called you? Do you remember their name?" Lewis asked. Zane rubbed his chin in thought.

"It was a woman," he moved his hand to the back of his neck. "Doctor. Swanson. She was old. Brownish hair in a bun. Wore a pantsuit. Two big guys followed behind her. I think her first name was Cecelia."

Lewis began typing on the keyboard again and remained silent. Zane and Ash watched the blond intensely, waiting for him to announce that he's figured out where the girls are and how to rescue them, but Lewis did no such thing and remained focused on the screen.

"Well? Anything?" Ash pleaded.

"Mmmm…" came Lewis's reply, as he was deep in thought. Suddenly, his face lit up. "Aha! I found something!"

"What is it?"

"Dr. Cecelia Swanson is the vice president of the L.A.I.U.S. Project-"

"The what project?"

"Laius. L-A-I-U-S. But where have I heard that name before?" he paused. "Dr. Denman worked for them!"

"What?!" Zane cried. Ash furrowed his brow.

"Who's Dr. Denman?"

"Long story," Zane and Lewis said in unison.

"The L.A.I.U.S. Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping marine life," Lewis read from the screen. "However, it is banned in fifty-two countries for fraud, abuse, and creating illegal technologies."

"What?"

"So, basically, this organization is supposed to be non-profit, but it's not. They perform unethical experiments on marine animals, rather than actually helping them. On top of it all, they've been making illegal weapons."

"So, basically, the girls are in very serious danger?" Ash asked. Lewis nodded reluctantly and Zane threw his head back in frustration.

"Are they banned here?" Zane asked.

"Yeah, looks like it."

"Okay, so they've been kidnapped by the L.A.I.U.S. Project and they're on a boat called the Siren's Song," Ash said slowly. "Any way of using this information and finding them?"

Lewis finally looked up from his screen to look at Ash sadly. He swallowed. "Not a clue."

* * *

It was difficult to expect anything when one is aboard a big boat that is holding teenage girls captive for no apparent reason. Annabeth refused to say her assumptions, fearing that she would upset Percy and or that she would be right. In this instance, she did not want to be right. Annabeth knew that Emma is a perfectly normal, bright girl. As were Cleo and Rikki. What could people possibly want with three teenage girls? And where were they taking them? They were obviously getting shipped off somewhere and Annabeth's best, and most hated, guess was that the three girls were going to be sold into human trafficking.

The blonde tried to keep moving as quickly and quietly as possible to find them. When she entered a certain room and flipped on the switch, the daughter of Athena didn't know how to react at the sight.

It appeared to be a lab empty of people. Judging by the equipment and supplies that littered the room, it had to be a place where things were built or assembled or something of the sort. There were all kinds of strange technologies. Fishing nets of all different shapes, sizes, and colors hung on the walls. There were long sticks also hanging on the wall with loops at the end, the kind that go around an animal's neck at the zoo to restrain them.

Annabeth approached the countertop and found a metal ring the size of a basketball resting upon it. Unsure of what it actually was, she picked it up and examined it closely. Suddenly, the ring was activated and it sprung from Annabeth's hands, opening into a W-shape. It dropped to the floor and Annabeth leapt back. The ring closed itself, sliding slightly against the smooth tile, and then sparks began to fly from it. Annabeth, startled, stumbled backwards. She quietly waited for the electricity to stop flying from the metal object before taking a step closer towards it. However, just as the shocking ceased, two spikes shot out from the inside of the ring.

After a moment of nothing else happening, Annabeth pulled out her dagger and knelt beside the strange metal ring. With her dagger, she poked the device cautiously.

"Alright, I know what this looks like. Just some random guy like me-clearly not an Australian-walking around this very clean place," Percy chatted, keeping his voice nonchalant. "But it's not what it looks like. I'm actually, uh, here...for a tour?"

The two scientists exchanged unconvinced looks. The taller one said to the other, "call for security."

The shorter scientist nodded and walked away, leaving Percy with the taller scientist.

"Aw, c'mon, man. You don't need to call security, do you?" Percy complained. "I'm just an ordinary guy after all. Can't we just work things out?"

"How did you get on this ship? We made extra procedures to make sure there weren't any stowaways. Where could you have hidden yourself when we departed?" he demanded. Percy rubbed the back of his neck.

"I, uh, took a boat here, sir," hey, if the guy wasn't going to believe him, Percy may as well just run with it? "My boat is around here somewhere…" Percy looked around and leaned over the edge of the railing. He tried to crane his neck to see any sign of Annabeth on the lower deck but it was impossible. "I think my boat's gone! It must have drifted away! Oh well. I guess I'll just have to stay here with you guys then. Or you'll have to take me all the way back to shore. In the meantime, how 'bout that tour?"

"Enough games, kid," the scientist lashed out and seized Percy's wrist. Before the man could do more, Percy's free hand swung a powerful fist into the scientist's face. The man was sent back reeling, his hands releasing Percy and flying to his nose as he howled in pain. Percy swiftly grabbed one of his arms, pinned it behind his back, and used his free hand to secure it around his neck as he shoved the scientist against the white wall.

"Where's Emma Gilbert?" the demigod hissed. "Where is she?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Percy adjusted his grip and bent the man's arm into a more painful position. The grunt from the scientist confirmed such.

"Enough games," Percy repeated. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You don't want to do the hard way, now do you? I'm going to ask you again-where's Emma?"

The man remained silent. Percy pursed his lips impatiently and then pushed against his arm a little bit further. The scientist let out a yell. If Percy persisted anymore, he was going to snap the arm.

"Lab A! She's in Lab A!"

"Why is she in there?"

Suddenly, something whizzed past the back of Percy's head. Percy blinked, unsure of what it was, and released his hold on the scientist. He looked at where the object had landed and spotted a spike driven into the shiny wood of the deck. The demigod's shoulders sagged at the familiarity of the spike.

"Thank goodness you're finally here!" the scientist ran in the opposite direction. Sharp and Pond both stood at the opposite end of the deck.

When the scientist neared, both the man and the woman's bodies shifted and changed. Their heads remained the same, but everything below transformed into lion-like features. The male had a distinct scorpion's tail with a spike identical to the one shot at Percy.

The scientist skidded to a halt in his tracks, his body freezing at the sight of the two's transformation into monsters.

"Wha-what-what are you-" before he could sputter more, the manticore seized his throat with a large paw-like hand, claws digging into his flesh. In the next instant, the scientist was thrown over the railing.

"It's been a long time since I've had a demigod," the manticore growled.

"They're the perfect dessert," the sphinx added gruffly.

 _"Really?"_ Percy groaned as he uncapped Riptide.

* * *

The daughter of wisdom made her way deeper into the ship. Annabeth was getting impatient and attempting every door she could for any clue to where Percy's cousin and her friends could be. However, some doors were locked, some were just supply closets, a cargo bay, and one lead to a boiler room.

Annabeth tried a door handle but it didn't budge, locked. Her shoulders slumped and a heavy sigh escaped her lips. Another dead end. Next to the door on the wall was a softly, red glowing pad for swipe access to get into the room. If this door required a key card or identification to get into, it had to be important; which meant Annabeth _had_ to get in there.

A man with his gaze locked onto a packet of papers in his hands turned down the hallway. The blonde's movements stilled from where she stood, watching him carefully. He didn't see her, not that he would anyway with her invisibility cap on. Hanging from his hip attached to his belt was an ID card. She smiled. The gods were on her side today.

As soon as the man walked passed her, engrossed in his paperwork, her hand lashed out and swiped his badge off him. The motion was swift, silent, and fluid and if the man felt it, he didn't show it and continued on his way. He disappeared around a corner.

Annabeth raised the badge to the access pad and it beeped. The light on the pad turned green and there was a click of a door unlocking. The ID badge was discarded on the floor as if the man had dropped it and Annabeth tiptoed inside quietly and carefully closed the door. When she turned back around, her grey eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

The room was just as white and blank as all the others. It was empty of people and equipment. There was a drain in the middle of the floor. However, inside the room were three large tanks from the floor to the ceiling entirely filled with water. It appeared as though the tanks went through the ceiling into the floor above but Annabeth couldn't see beyond it. All she could see were two large, golden, scaly tails unlike any other fish she's ever seen floating vertically near the top. The third tank appeared to be empty, as far as Annabeth could tell.

Annabeth removed her cap and approached the tanks curiously. She peered upward to see the upper half of the fish and surprised to see that neither one of the tails had an upper half of fish but of humans. Mermaids. Their faces were too difficult to make out. Was Percy aware that there were mermaids aboard this ship?

One of the mermaids flinched and moved. Annabeth was positive she was spotted. The mermaid slipped her head under the water and drifted to where Annabeth stood. A brunette. A brunette with widening doe eyes and pink lips. Annabeth instantly recognized the mermaid's face.

"Cleo?!" Annabeth gasped.

"Annabeth?" Cleo mouthed, her mouth falling open only to be covered by a hand. Annabeth rushed to put her hands up on the glass.

"You're a mermaid?! This whole time?! How did you get in there?!" she demanded. Cleo's hand dropped and she gave a pleading look to Annabeth as she started to hit her palms against the glass. Nothing happened and before Annabeth could question more, Cleo floated to the surface.

"Rikki! Rikki!" Cleo started knocking her knuckles against her glass after surfacing, desperate to obtain the other mermaid's attention. Rikki looked up and furrowed her brows at the brunette.

"What?"

"Annabeth!" Cleo called.

"What?" Rikki brought a hand to her ear, unable to hear or understand Cleo.

"Annabeth's here! She's here!" Cleo yelled loudly and then pointed downward. Rikki had a puzzled expression but went under the water and noticed a person in the room below. Cleo did the same. Annabeth looked over her shoulder and locked gazes with Rikki, alarm immediately spreading across both blondes' features.

"Annabeth?" Rikki mouthed. "What are you doing here?"

"Rikki?!" Annabeth cried. She looked between the two mermaids looking at her desperately as if she was their last and only hope. Annabeth's mind was reeling. Everything started to make sense all of a sudden. But dozens of more questions entered her mind all at the same time. "You're _both_ mermaids? If Cleo and Rikki are mermaids then does that mean-"

Suddenly, a distant roar ripped through the air, silencing Annabeth. Cleo and Rikki exchanged confused yet frightened expressions.

"What was that?" Rikki mouthed. Cleo's eyes resembled a deer in headlights and her lips formed a tight line.

"Oh gods, really?" the demigod groaned. "Please don't be what I think it is."

She turned her face back to the trapped mermaids. There was something out there-a monster, and judging by the roar, a hungry one. It was one that Annabeth knew well-a manticore. First mermaids on a boat and now a manticore? What's next?

"Where's Emma?" she demanded. Cleo and Rikki shrugged worriedly. Annabeth sighed.

The tanks were practically seamless with no sign of a door or a way to open them. Annabeth guessed the way to get mermaids in and out of the tank were on the floor above, the second level of the ship. Did she have time to search a whole second floor to find where Rikki and Cleo were being held? What if the monster barged into here and ate them while Annabeth was looking? They're trapped and completely defenseless.

Annabeth slid her backpack off her shoulders and started fishing through it. There had to be something in there-her dagger, maybe-that was strong enough. Her dagger seemed like her best option. There wasn't time for anything else.

"Okay, you guys, this is going to be rough. Very...very...rough...I'm going to get you guys out of here," Annabeth announced to the pair. Rikki and Cleo glanced at each other uncertainly. Annabeth swallowed. She was about to get very wet.

Annabeth gripped her dagger with two hands and swung it powerfully against the glass of Cleo's tank. The glass was scratched. Annabeth swung again and a crack began to form. A third swing and the crack was enlarged but the tank did not break yet.

Cleo's eyes widened in realization. She raised a hand to stop Annabeth before she could swing a fourth time and motioned her to step back. Annabeth hesitantly did so and once she took a step back, Cleo twisted herself and slammed her tail as hard as she could against the line in the glass. The crack grew to spread outwards all across the glass and a water spout began to form. With another powerful flick of her tail, the tank shattered.

Water and shards of glass flew everywhere. Annabeth shielded her head with her arms. Cleo's form was sucked out of the gaping hole of the tank with the water and she flopped onto the tile and fragments.

"Ow!" Cleo screeched in pain as skin and scales scraped against sharp shards of glass. She bit back another cry as she started to brush the pieces off her elbows and prop herself upright without injecting any more broken glass into her flesh. Annabeth was quick to Cleo's side but the mermaid waved her off with a bleeding hand.

"You have to get Rikki out!" Cleo insisted. Annabeth nodded and straightened herself to face Rikki. The process was repeated but as soon as Rikki was lying next to Cleo on the broken glass, alarms began to blare from above.

"Okay, so...you're not...stuck like that, right? Can you walk on two legs?" Annabeth asked as she started to use her feet to sweep as much glass away from the girls as possible. Once most of the tile was clear, Annbaeth began to pluck pieces from the mermaids' tresses.

Rikki sat up and nodded before raising both of her scraped arms. Her fingers began to curl into her palms and suddenly the room was filled with steam. Annabeth looked around, fully alert, and her grip tightened around her dagger's hilt. Cleo and Rikki looked fairly calm about the sudden steam-as calm as a couple of mermaids can be in this situation.

Cautiously, the demigod backed away from the other two and approached the door. There was still a manticore out there and possibly other people. As carefully as she had when she first entered the room, Annabeth opened the door and poked her head out and scanned the hallway. To her left, the coast was clear. To her right, was the manticore. It was several meters away and sniffing around but when he lifted his head, his beady eyes caught sight of Annabeth before she could retreat.

There was a snarl and then a slam. The manticore's ugly man face snarled and charged at Annabeth, who immediately slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it.

"What was that?" Cleo demanded.

"Well...uh...that depends…" Annabeth huffed. Suddenly, there was a loud scrape along the door from directly behind Annabeth. Annabeth winced.

"On what?" Cleo returned. The manticore clawed at the door relentlessly.

"Getting legs anytime soon would be great!" Annabeth hissed.

"Just...another...second…" Rikki gritted her teeth as both her hands shook from being in such a tight fist. Finally, Cleo and Rikki's orange tails transformed into legs. Immediately, they jumped to their feet and at the sight of the two standing, Annabeth let out a sigh of relief.

Without warning, the manticore slammed its full weight against the door. Annabeth shouted in shock, stumbling forward as the door and manticore came crashing down behind her.

"Whoa!" The manticore had its golden lion body sprawled over the collapsed door. Cleo and Rikki quickly backed away, Rikki grabbing Annabeth by the arm and pulling her further away.

"What is that...thing?" Cleo questioned frantically.

"You can see the manticore?" the demigod asked.

"Duh! Unless it's supposed to be invisible, it's doing a very bad job," Rikki quipped. Three sets of eyes followed the manticore as he pushed himself up with two very large paws.

"I think I'd rather go in the tank…" Cleo whispered. He towered the doorway as he stood properly on his two hind legs. His heterochromatic irises latched onto the three girls backing away carefully to the back wall of the room. He licked his lips hungrily.

"I'll distract him. When I say so, you make a run for it out the door. Don't stop. And don't look back, got it?" Annabeth whispered. The two mermaids nodded.

Their backs hit the wall. The manticore lowered himself onto four legs and very slowly moved towards them. Annabeth took one brave step forward. One moment, the manticore was lowering himself. The next, he pounced across the room, claws and fangs glistening, all pointed to the female demigod. She slashed her dagger at the manticore in his pounce, knocking him down. He swiped a paw at her with an angry growl, which she countered with a block with her dagger. Cleo and Rikki quickly rushed to the side of the room, away from the battle.

The manticore detected their movement, as his brown and blue eyes flickered in their direction. Annabeth caught his eye movement and swung her dagger across his snout.

"Go now!" Annabeth urged over the howl of the manticore. Rikki grabbed Cleo by the wrist and pulled her over the fallen door, out into the corridor. The manticore lunged at Annabeth in fury, which she ducked and rolled out of the way.

"What about Annabeth?" Cleo asked Rikki as they ran down the hallway.

"She told us to run so we're running! She's got a dagger, we don't have anything," Rikki assured.

"We got powers! Maybe we can help!" Cleo pointed out. Rikki looked over her shoulder behind Cleo-prompting Cleo to follow her gaze-the hallway was empty save for an open doorway. Annabeth came thundering out the open doorway. The manticore was not much farther behind her.

"Keep going! Hurry!" Annabeth insisted. Cleo gasped and Rikki tugged her wrist harder.

Something whizzed past Rikki's head, prompting her to cry out and duck her head, but did not slow in her pace. A thorn larger than her hand was lodged in the wall at eye level. Several more were fired, each one missing a girl's head and landing either in the white walls or tiled floor. The hallway ended with a door that opened to a narrow stairwell. The mermaids halted, much to Annabeth's displeasure.

"Let me try something," Cleo offered as Annabeth neared.

Annabeth opened her mouth to protest as she joined Cleo's side but Cleo raised her hand out in front of her, fingers curved into her familiar hand gesture. The manticore came barrelling towards the trio but Cleo squared her shoulders and summoned the largest gust of wind she could muster. Wind blew powerfully from her palm and hit the monster like a truck. The gale sent the manticore flying backwards with his claws raking against the tiles until his back crashed into the opposite end of the corridor.

"Wow," Annabeth breathed. Questions started buzzing in her brain. "We have to hurry and find Emma and Percy. Come on!"

In silent agreement, the three girls were quick to ascend the stairwell and put as much distance between them and the monster as possible.

* * *

Sooooooo! I hope you guys liked this chapter? It was fun to write but I never think I can write anything good. I hope you guys aren't disappointed. Please hang in there! We are in the final stretch now! I promise!

As always, please R&R!

-Spiz


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi, I rewrote this chapter a dozen times and it still sucks. But I'm glad it's finally over and posted. THE END IS IN SIGHT. It is late and I am tired. Here are a few quick review responses:**

 **0ttoke: not exactly! You don't have to be a demigod to see through the Mist. Some humans can, but almost all mythical creatures can! Cleo, Emma, and Rikki are mermaids which originate in Greek mythology, thus automatically allowing them to see through the Mist. However, due to being turned into mermaids and originally born human beings, this means that the Mist does not protect them from the eyes of ordinary humans. They're caught in the middle between these two worlds.**

 **FireFlames2018: all I can promise you is a satisfying ending :)**

 **SirRoland: much thanks for your constructive criticism.**

 **otherwise, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Emma was pinned against the on top of the operating table, wrists and tail still bound. Her hair was plastered against her forehead, lips slightly parted, eyelids closed, and palms uncurled. She could hear the scientists that hovered over her form but it was just noise to her now. They walked back and forth between her, getting new tools or collecting samples and storing them in the nearby cabinets. She couldn't feel them touch her anymore, nor could she feel the spray of water from the ceiling. Her body felt so heavy-so heavy that it was impossible to keep her eyelids open. The only other thing she could feel was her chest rising and falling as she breathed deeply.

The door burst open and a younger, frightened scientist rushed into the room.

"Doctor-Doctor-" he gasped, wiping his sweaty brow.

"What do you want? Don't you know not to disturb us during the experimentation?" Swanson hissed.

"There's-lions, ma'am! Lions on the ship!" he announced.

"We don't have time for jokes," Finley scoffed.

"I'm not joking! There's three of them! And they're _huge_!" the young scientist protested.

"How on Earth could there be _lions_ on this ship? Surely we would have known if we were had lions with our cargo," Swanson said.

"I don't know! But they're here and they're attacking everybody! We have to leave!"

Swanson rolled her eyes, "we have a dozen security personnel, all fully armed. They can kill the lions with their guns, dump them into the sea, and we'll be on our way."

"That's the thing!" he sputtered. "The bullets aren't working! Three guards are missing and at least one more is confirmed dead. We have to abandon ship!"

"This is ridiculous!" Finley barked. Emma's eyes lifted up to him, unfocused yet attempting to focus on the blurred people. "We are not about to throw away all of our research! And we are certainly not going to let go of our specimens so easily. This is a research lab, not a zoo, goddammit!"

The young scientist opened his mouth to protest more but was interrupted by a distant yet distinct roar that had the scientists stop breathing. There was a fourth scientist in the lab with them, a young blonde, standing behind the equipment board. She looked equally terrified as the man who came running into the room but held her tongue until this moment.

"Surely we can just transport the mermaids, can't we?" she squeaked.

"This has _got_ to be some kind of joke!" Finley protested angrily. "What are the odds? Hmm? Never, in my wildest dreams! Dr. Swanson, you're not _seriously_ suggesting we abandon ship? Can't we just take a couple of guns and shoot them down?"

"The bullets aren't working, sir…" the young scientist reminded. Emma's eyes drifted shut and her head lolled to one side.

"Oh, and I suppose these lions are wearing bulletproof vests too? They must be magic lions who appear and disappear at any moment and also happen to repel bullets!" Finley straightened his glasses. "Well, I've had enough of this nonsense. I expected more from you, Cecelia."

Finley rammed his shoulder against the young scientist as he stormed out of the lab. Swanson looked at the mermaid tethered to the table in front of her. She was completely out of it, probably unaware of the opening slit from her abdomen to the upper part of her tail. Then, Swanson's eyes lifted to the cabinets, which were filled with samples of all three girls. These samples most consisted of scales plucked from their tails, separate samples of the scales from their upper halves, strands of hair, saliva swabs, and packets of blood.

There is absolutely no way to transport the mermaids while the ship was out on the open ocean without giving them their legs back. They wouldn't fit well in a boat and even if they did, they would be impossible to disguise. The doctors would have to dry them, let them have their legs back, and risk them fighting back for their freedom. Swanson had a gut feeling she was going to end up as a fool, reputation ruined, just like Linda Denman.

Swanson left the lab, leaving the intern alone with the heavily sedated mermaid. The young intern bit her lip and nervously eyed Emma, whose eyes remained closed. After a moment, she quickly followed the doctor.

Finley had gone to his sleeping quarters where he had a safe tucked away. The safe contained mostly his valuables, but also a pistol and ammunition. He loaded the gun listening to the roars of hungry lions. Unbelievable.

He quickly went to the source of the roaring. It wasn't hard to find the lions because everyone onboard was running away from them so all Finley had to do was walk in the opposite direction. Everyone outside of the quiet lab was in such a panic. People screamed and lions bellowed. What a mess.

And then, Finley finally saw the lion. It was a female, for there was no mane, and she was chasing one of the security guards. The guard shot at the lioness's face a couple of times, before running out of bullets, but Finley saw every bullet simply bounce off the lioness's face. When she ran out of bullets, the guard quickly fled to a door and hid herself there.

While the lioness attempted to follow the guard she pursued, Finley pointed his gun and fired at the lioness's exposed side. Just like the bullets to the face, his bullets merely bounced off the fur as if he was shooting at a flat surface. Absolutely absurd.

The lioness's attention was caught and she barrelled down the boat deck-it was almost too large to fit on the deck, one of her sides appeared wet and matted from hitting the railing and getting the salty sea breeze brushing against her golden fur. Finley retreated, cursing the whole way, and was able to escape the wrath of the lioness unscathed.

Swanson watched him from the beginning through surveillance cameras. She was in the primary control room. Her suspicions were correct-the other two mermaids have escaped. Their tanks are shattered and the mermaids are not in them. Those two would probably go to free Emma. It didn't matter. Not now in this most bizarre situation. It didn't matter because Swanson was currently downloading all of their data and research onto an external hard drive. Just in case.

She recently instructed all the remaining security guards to dedicate their efforts to recapturing the mermaids without harming them and get them on a boat off the ship. They were going to have to heavily drug them to keep their resistance down. Once they got to the mainland, they will move them to a secret location while they waited for a new ship and the current one to arrive to their original destination via autopilot. The team at the destination would be notified and militarized to destroy the ravenous lions.

There was no doubt they would escape. In fact, Swanson assumed that this whole situation was to blame the mermaids. What other explanation could there be? This was magic. The mermaids must have more powers. Swanson had men watch the mermaids for weeks, studying every detail, capturing every movement on camera. There was no trace of powers that involved bulletproof lions. The tanks were designed to prevent magic from being used. Emma was tied down to a table, so heavily sedated she could barely remain conscious. It was quite the mystery how this unfolded.

One of the cameras displayed a teenage boy racing across the decks of the ship. He carried a golf club, of all things. Swanson recognized him as someone who has accompanied Emma as the project studied her. He was her cousin and his name was Percy. He was visiting her on vacation because he lived in New York City. He was a normal human being. He did not have powers nor a tail. It was clearly a rescue mission, a poorly attempted one at that. The lions could have him, for all Swanson cared. If the lions won't take care of him, the backup team will.

* * *

"Lab A...Lab A...Lab A…" Percy cursed his dyslexia. He reached the third deck, the highest one. It was empty of all people. Most scientists and guards were in too much of a panic to stop him. They were all evacuating on motorized boats. There was no sign of Annabeth but the good news is that he lost the manticore and the sphinx.

And finally, he had arrived. For once, all the letters aligned perfectly and he saw the little sign next to the windowless door, LAB A. Praise the gods. He was here and he slammed a hand on the wall in triumph. Without hesitation, he had the door flying open and ran into the room, unprepared for what was inside.

The room was very white and very clean. There was a lot of bright lights and a lot of equipment. But Percy didn't pay any attention to that. In the heart of the room was a table with a mermaid bound to it. She had a orange, scaly tail. There was an open wound stretching from her fishy bottom half to her pale human half. Her halter top matched her tail and her blonde hair was drenched. Her arms were pinned on either side of her body. But her face-lolled to one side facing him, eyes closed, and lips slightly parted-she was unmistakeable.

"Holy shit…" Percy breathed, not realizing he held his breath the whole time. "Emma!"

He couldn't have ran faster to her side.

"Emma! Hey, Emma!"

He used one hand to hold Emma's head from the back while the other hand patted her pale cheek. She was still breathing but Percy had stopped. His whole heart stopped beating. There was a huge lump in his throat and his mind was racing so fast it was impossible to generate a coherent thought. Emma had a tail. Emma was kidnapped. Emma was pinned on this table. Emma was cut open. Emma was bleeding. Emma wasn't responding to him. Emma wasn't opening her eyes. Emma's breathing was shallow. Emma felt cold. Emma was very wet and very cold. Emma had to get out of the cuffs. Emma had to return to normal. Surely, she can return to normal, right? She's not a mermaid. She's a girl. She was the sole stable thing he had in his life at the moment. She was his last strand of normalcy, his last strand of maintaining sanity. Emma-his cousin-Emma Gilbert. The last time he saw Emma, her eyes held such coldness that it burned. The last time he saw Emma, it was so early in the morning. The sun was shining so brightly. Apollo really had that sun going. The last time he saw Emma, he was in such a rage that he said things he didn't mean. He said he hated her and he never meant it. But that was the last thing she may have heard. Because she left and she never came back. She never came back because she was taken by some terrible people and now she was bleeding out on the most frigid table Percy has ever felt. Oh gods, how he wished he could have just taken it all back. If only he had known that Emma was a mermaid. And if only she knew he was the son of Poseidon! Maybe the fight would have never happened. Maybe they could have understood each other and been there for each other instead of constantly pushing each other away. Percy pushed Emma away. He did. He did. He did. This was all his fault. He could have protected Emma and he didn't. He failed her. He messed up. Oh gods, he _so messed up_. He's never hated himself more.

"Emma, hey! It's me. Wake up. C'mon, you're okay. C'mon. Open your eyes. It's okay. I'm here now. Wake up, Emma. Wake up!"

Suddenly, a spray of water rained over him and Emma. Percy was so badly startled he cursed and nearly released Emma's head. The water was harmless and explained why Emma was so wet. Emma did not respond to his calls, face pats, nor the water spray.

Percy let Emma's head down and turned his attention to her bleeding side. He opened his hand and gathered some of the water coating her body to cover the slit entirely. The tiny pool of water started to glow very softly and within seconds, the cut was gone. Her skin was completely unblemished, perfectly healed.

"Mmmnn…" Emma croaked. Percy's head whipped around. Emma straightened her neck and her eyes fluttered open with great difficulty. Her blue eyes narrowed as she attempted to look at the person before her.

"Emma!" And his heart started beating once again. He let out a loud sigh of relief but Emma stared at him bizarrely.

"Percy?" she cried, her eyes widening in realization. It couldn't be. Dark hair. Tan skin. Sea green eyes. It's impossible. How _on Earth_ would Percy Jackson be here? No way. Not possible. But it was. Emma couldn't believe it. There was hope. "Percy! What are-how are you-why-ow!"

Emma had strained against her restraints and she felt that painfully sharp prick in her wrists again, prompting her to cry out. Tears pricked her eyes and Emma wasn't sure if they were tears of joy or tears of pain.

"Emma, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to end up like this. This is all my fault-"

"Your fault? How is this your fault?" she demanded. "You didn't kidnap me, Cleo, or Rikki."

"I said such stupid and mean things. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean any of it-I don't hate you- You're not a bitch-"

"Percy, it's okay," Emma cut in. "It's okay. I don't mean to cut this short, but can we please have this conversation when I'm not tied down here? I need you to get me out of here. You have to help me. Please, Percy. Before they come back."

Percy suddenly remembered that there was a manticore and a sphinx and his girlfriend still on the ship.

"Yes. Yes, we have to hurry. You're okay. I'm going to get you out of here," Percy promised. He tried to pry open the cuff over her wrist with his fingers but no luck.

"Percy, try going over there. There might be a button or a key or something," Emma urged. Percy nodded and jogged over to the computer board lit up with a dozen different colors and decorated with levers and buttons. "And what's with the sword?"

"You can see the-hey, wait a minute! What's with the tail, huh? You're supposed to be the normal one!"

"It's a long story!" Emma groaned. Percy pressed a random button. Suddenly, the water sprayed over Emma again, prompting her to wince.

"Sorry," Percy muttered.

"How did you find me?" Emma questioned.

"It's...a long story…"

Percy picked the button that looked important and suddenly, all three cuffs retracted and disappeared into the table. Emma let out a cry, Percy hoped was relief, but it was in pain. Tears threatened but she blinked to keep them at bay. Emma lifted her arms and squinted at her wrists, where she started to bleed. Now she knows why the metal hurt so much-the insides of the cuffs contained a prick that pierced her wrist in attempt to block her powers.

The demigod rushed to the freed mermaid's side as she sat up unsteadily. It was suddenly impossible for Emma to stop the tears from coming and a sob couldn't be swallowed. She threw her arms around her cousin and clung to him tightly while releasing a cry into his chest. It was as if there was this great weight lifted off her-not off her shoulders, no, but off her chest. She felt like she could breathe again. Her heart could beat steadily again. There was nothing holding her down, literally and figuratively. The tension trapped in her form was liberated all at once and a sense of security returned to the mermaid.

"Whoa, hey!" Percy gasped in surprise. He couldn't seem to recall the last time he had received a heartfelt hug from Emma-or anything heartfelt from her at all. She was always a stone cold ice queen who rarely showed weakness or vulnerability. Percy was not ungrateful, in fact the opposite. He welcomed her hug and rubbed her shoulders reassuringly, for he knew that Emma needed this more than anything right now. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay now, Em. We're getting you out of here."

"Thank you, Percy…" Emma said softly. She clung to her cousin for just another moment but not any longer and she pulled away. The blonde sniffed and dabbed her eyes and sure enough, she was freezing over again. "Sorry. Something just...came over me. I'm fine. Really."

"You know," Percy smiled, "it's okay to _not_ be fine. I mean, _I'm_ not fine almost every day!"

Emma snorted, "You're handling all of this surprisingly well." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Except you can't stop staring."

Percy closed his mouth immediately and blinked, "Well, this isn't one of the weirdest things...no, I take that back. This _is_ one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. But I've seen a lot of weird. There's something I gotta tell you, Em."

Emma rubbed her wrists; she had lost feeling in her arms and tail. Crap. Her tail.

"Percy, listen to me very carefully. You can tell me later. Cleo and Rikki are somewhere in this place locked up in tanks. You have to get them out and you need to bring Rikki to me," Emma said.

"And let me guess: they're mermaids too! Anybody else? Is Aunt Lisa a mermaid? Elliot?"

"Please, Percy! This isn't time for games. You have to go,"

"What? Leave you here? No way! There's-" A manticore and a sphinx running around trying to eat him. "We have to get off this ship as soon as possible."

"And we can. Go get Rikki. She can help me," Emma insisted.

"Help you? Help you with what?"

"Rikki has powers and she has the power to heat water. She can dry me off and that's how I get my legs back. It's how I return to normal and we can get out of here," Emma explained.

"You need to dry off?" Percy asked. "That's what you need? You need to be dry?"

"Yes!"

"Well, why didn't you say so!" Percy threw his hands up but did not move his feet. When he lowered his hands, one of them made a gesture similar to a gesture she, Cleo, or Rikki would make when using their powers. His features turned into a deep concentration as he willed the water on Emma's body to do as he commanded. Every water molecule was pulled off her body. Each droplet floated off her and went to him, collecting and forming a small ball of water that hovered in mid-air. It was only just a moment and Emma had her legs, returned to normal.

"Wow. _That's_ gotta be the weirdest thing I've ever seen since I got the tail," Emma confessed, sliding off the table. Her legs nearly gave out on her when her feet hit the floor, but she steadied herself on the table. "You're not-"

"A merman? Nah. I'm way cooler. That's what I meant to tell you," Percy said.

 _Oh my God, Cleo was right all along,_ Emma thought. Emma just wanted to smack herself a hundred times over for being so stupid.

"We have to hurry and find Cleo and Rikki," the blonde insisted as she walked briskly to the door.

"And Annabeth," Percy added, trailing her.

"Hey! You there! Stop!" Blocking their exit was a large male security guard. "She's coming with me."

"Oh, sorry. My bad. Here you go. She's all yours. I was just here to deliver her to you." Percy gestured to Emma, who stared at him in shock.

"Percy!"

The guard stared at Percy dumbfounded.

Percy snorted, "I had you believe me there for a second, am I right? This is a _rescue_ mission and you _honestly_ think I'm going to turn her over? Like I'd _actually_ allow anything to happen to my family? I like this guy, Em. He's funny."

Before Emma or the guard could react again, Percy swung a fist in the guard's jaw. All it took was that one punch and the guard hit the floor. Emma's jaw dropped as her blue eyes moved from the unconscious guard to her cousin who just did that.

"What?" He didn't wait for her response. Instead, Percy tugged at Emma by her elbow and ushered her around the guard, out the door, and closed it behind him. The blonde whipped her head around and opened her mouth to protest but was abruptly cut off by the sound of a distant roar.

"Percy-what was that?"

"There's also monsters trying to eat me," the demigod added with nonchalance. At the end of the deck, the sphinx prowled around the corner. The third deck was the shortest of the three, only standing several meters away from Emma.

"There you are," the sphinx drawled. "I've been waiting for this."

"Percy," Emma squeaked, taking a step back. "What...what is that…?"

"Called a sphinx. Let's just say, we're not friends," he answered. Percy pulled Emma by the arm and pushed her behind him. "Stay behind me."

* * *

"This place is deserted," Rikki mused. She kicked open a door to a darkened storage room, Annabeth and Cleo trailing. "That manticore must have scared them off."

"I don't think they saw a manticore," Annabeth informed. "They might've saw like a lion or a tiger-"

"And a bear! Oh my!" Rikki said jokingly. Annabeth and Cleo did not laugh. Rikki cleared her throat and distracted herself by wandering away from the girls, deeper in the storage.

"We should be trying to find Emma. And Percy," Cleo suggested.

"Cleo's right," Annabeth agreed. "There's nothing for us here."

"But wait a minute," Rikki protested. "Think about it. These guys aren't just going to run away after they went through so much trouble getting us in the first place. And they ran so many freakin' tests on us!"

"So they must have left with all their data then?" Cleo concluded. Rikki nodded.

"Or they have it stored," Annabeth said. "Like maybe in a cloud where they can access offsite. And possibly even go public. But there has to be the main computer. The primary hard drive to hold everything."

"Go public?" Cleo repeated as she bit her bottom lip. "What does that mean?"

Rikki stopped, seeing the end of the storage room, and turned on her heel to face the ladies she left behind. There was nothing in there for them.

"Rikki, behind you!" Cleo squeaked out.

Before Rikki could react, large hands clasped over her forearms in an inescapable grip. A tall man had lunged at her from the shadows behind where she stood.

"Rikki!" Annabeth's instincts kicked in and she dashed to the pair.

"Come any closer and I'll snap her neck," the guard threatened. Annabeth halted, not wanting to test his bluff. Rikki squirmed but his grip tightened and she grunted in pain. "I don't want to hurt you. The brunette is coming with me too."

At first, there was a low chuckle from Rikki. And then, the chuckle grew louder until Rikki was laughing outright. The guard frowned at the blonde in his grasp and Annabeth and Cleo stared at her dumbfounded. Cleo was certain...Rikki had finally lost it.

"Good thing you can't!" Rikki bellowed before she twisted her body around. In the next instant, Rikki had flipped the six foot guard on his back. Cleo and Annabeth's mouths dropped open and she waggled her eyebrows at them. "Hey, Annabeth, it worked!"

"I told you, you could do it with practice," Annabeth remarked, her surprise turning into pride. She was impressed.

"Can you teach me that too, Annabeth?" Cleo asked.

"After we get out of here. C'mon, let's hurry!" The guard was already getting up. Rikki ran around him and quickly caught up with the other two girls, who made a run for the door. Rikki knocked over boxes behind her, blocking the guard's path as he attempted to pursue them.

The three girls ran as fast as they could to get away from that storage room from which an angry guard could be coming out from any second now. And despite the very dangerous situation, the girls all had smiles on their faces, unbelieving that Rikki just did what she did and got away with it. It's bad enough they had a manticore on the loose and they didn't need the scientists' security pursing them either.

Speaking of the devil, just when three thought they were in the clear, the manticore from before came around the corner. He licked his lips and approached them almost lazily.

"I'm baaaacckkkkk," he hissed. Annabeth immediately pushed Cleo and Rikki behind her and readied her dagger.

"Stay behind me."

This was not a good place to fight a monster. The deck was narrow and if things went horribly wrong, Annabeth could end up thrown overboard, leaving Cleo and Rikki defenseless and Percy and Emma still missing. She could not just run at him. Or run away.

"I've waited so long for this. I've always wanted to taste a mermaid," he drawled. Rikki made a disgusted face.

"Eww," Cleo groaned quietly. Her eyes went to the ocean. If it was just her and Rikki, all they had to do was jump. Jump and swim away from all their problems. But they couldn't do that with Annabeth. She couldn't swim across an entire ocean. And besides, Cleo and Rikki were not going anywhere without Emma or Percy either.

"What's so special about a mermaid?" Annabeth questioned. The demigod and the manticore were inching towards each other, both ready to pounce but neither daring. "I heard demigod tastes way better. It's what all the monsters want to eat."

Wait, Cleo thought. She just had a brilliant idea. Annabeth couldn't swim across an open ocean and she doubted this lion-scorpion monster could too! Cleo eyed Rikki but Rikki's blue eyes were set on the manticore.

"True," the manticore agreed. "Demigod _does_ taste the best. It's my favorite." Rikki was concentrating. Her arms were at her sides but her fingers were curling in her hands. "But alas, you're just a snack tonight, my dear. They're the main course!"

With a thunderous roar, the manticore pounced on the spot at the girls. Cleo screamed and ducked while Annabeth blocked the monster's glistening claws with her dagger. She evaded a swipe from his paw and slashed her dagger across his snout. The manticore cried out in pain and a red line formed but his cry turned into a deep growl.

"Run!" Annabeth commanded Cleo and Rikki. Annabeth couldn't keep dodging the manticore's attacks on this narrow deck and it certainly didn't help that the monster was as wide as the deck, not to mention taller than herself.

Cleo and Rikki did not run. Instead, Rikki summoned a fireball like she did before. She threw fire like she was throwing a baseball. Her aim was for the manticore's face and missed, but luckily, it was so big that it was impossible for it's body not to get hit by the fire. It hit it's fur and it must of hurt, for the manticore cried louder than it did when Annabeth cut him. It's fur became singed but the fire diminished immediately upon impact.

Angrily, the manticore sent a thorn from it's tail flying in their direction. All the girls ducked out of the way and Annabeth was quick to counter with another swipe of her dagger. The manticore jumped back and fired another thorn but missed. Rikki summoned a fireball in each hand this time and threw them each. Both struck the manticore and he wailed in pain from the heat and the hit. Annabeth took the opportunity and lunged at him with her knife but didn't strike him hard enough to turn him to dust.

But a pattern formed. Rikki didn't stop with the fireballs. She threw one, Annabeth would stab the manticore with her dagger, and the manticore was forced to back away from them. The more Rikki burned him, the faster he tried to get away. It was working. The manticore was retreating and the girls were moving forward. He was wildly shooting thorns from his tail but they either went into the ocean or into the walls. Annabeth was growing frustrated that the manticore wasn't turning to dust yet but maybe as soon as they back it into the corner, she would have the opportunity to end this once and for all.

The manticore was backed into the corner. It tried to turn down the corridor it came from but Rikki blocked his path, her hand alight with fire. Her heart was pounding in her ears; one misstep and they were dinner. Rikki was not fully confident she could actually get rid of this thing with her firepower. And Annabeth's dagger...didn't look like much compared to the lion's mouth. She seemed to know what she was doing and Rikki prayed that it was so. She glanced at Cleo out of the corner of her eyes but Cleo's eyes were locked on the manticore.

The manticore released a wild, booming roar that it poured it's very being into. It was as if it was his final cry before his demise. The girls stiffened, bracing themselves for his next move. His body crouched to pounce but suddenly, a wave rose over the railing and crashed directly over the manticore like a waterfall.

Instantly, Rikki and Cleo jumped back, avoiding every drop of water possible, but Cleo did not break her eye contact. Annabeth shielded herself with her arms and when the water passed, she lowered them, and saw that the manticore was gone. She turned around to see Rikki and Cleo so far behind her and stared at them in shock.

"Did you do that?" she asked.

"It wasn't me," Rikki answered, the flame in her palm extinguished.

"I did! I didn't think that would actually work!" Cleo shouted gleefully.

"Wow! Way to go, Cleo!" Rikki and Cleo exchanged a high-five while Annabeth went to the railing and peered over. Down below, in the water, was the manticore. Alive, but there was no way for him to get back on the ship, even if he reverted to his human shape.

"That was amazing," Annabeth complimented. "Both of you! I don't think I would have been able to handle him by myself." She probably could, but it did make her life a thousand times easier when mermaids with magic powers had her back.

"We should find the control room and shut this boat down," Cleo suggested.

"Get rid of the scientists and every data they've got on us," Rikki agreed.

With that, the girls set out. They found a stairwell and went to the highest floor, the third deck. It is usually the highest deck that has the control room, or so they suspected. And it wasn't long until they found it. It was clearly labeled and luckily for the three, it was unlocked.

However, the mermaids were shocked to see Dr. Swanson awaiting inside. Dr. Swanson's back was to them and she stood before the window, gazing out at the chaos that unfolded aboard her ship.

"Hello, ladies," she greeted calmly but did not cast them a single glance. She looked down and pulled something from her coat pocket-something that resembled a phone or a small remote-and pressed a button.

Without any warning, nets fell from the ceiling over the girls. Annabeth instinctively rolled out of the way and nets draped over Cleo and Rikki. The mermaids fell to the ground and became entangled in them. The more they struggled against the netting, the more trapped they became. Annabeth cursed under her breath. She led them right into a trap.

"You're making this much too hard on yourselves," the doctor continued.

"Let them go," Annabeth commanded. Dr. Swanson chuckled at Annabeth's reflection in the glass.

"You don't understand, dear," she said. "You're witnessing the greatest scientific discovery since the Earth revolving around the sun. Meddling with something so much bigger than you would just get yourself hurt."

"And what do you plan to do with them, exactly?"

"You'll find out all in due time. It will be in the headlines of every news article for years."

"In your dreams!" Rikki and Cleo spat in unison. The woman pressed another button and all of a sudden, the nets started sparking. Cleo shrieked in pain as the net shocked her body, forcing her to curl into a ball.

"Stop it!" Annabeth protested. "You're hurting them! Have you not realized that you're _kidnapping_ teenage girls? Experimenting on them and hurting them?"

Dr. Swanson scoffed, "I'd never hurt my subjects. But they're not girls. They're not human beings like you and I. They are _things_ and these _things_ need to be controlled and understood. For the sake of humanity."

Annabeth rushed to the screaming Cleo and tried to pull the net off her but her palms were shocked painfully. She was forced to step back and recover.

"Do not test me. It forces me to punish them," Dr. Swanson threatened, pressing the same button and the electrocution halting. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at the woman. She was tired of trying to reason with the unreasonable. That woman disrespected the name of science in every way and it disgusted Annabeth so much that it made her sick to her stomach.

The demigod impulsively lunged at Swanson. She slammed the woman against the window and pinned her arm behind her, Annabeth's free hand on her head.

"Do not test _me_ ," Annabeth hissed.

Swanson grunted and twisted herself skillfully and freed herself from Annabeth's grasp. She swung a punch at the younger, who dodged. She pressed the button on the remote again and shocked the mermaids, Cleo's cries resuming. Annabeth elbowed the older and kicked the remote out of her hand, where it slid across the tiles. Rikki awkwardly stretched to snatch up the remote and turned off the shocking.

Annabeth continued to assault the doctor swiftly and although Dr. Swanson was trained to defend herself, she tumbled to the ground when Annabeth slammed her head against the ship's wheel in the center of the window. As soon as Swanson hit the floor, Annabeth pulled her dagger from her hip on the woman. It didn't matter if the Mist disguised the dagger, it was more than enough to threaten with.

"Now listen to me," Annabeth ordered in a low tone. "You have approximately thirty seconds to get out of my sight and never come near my friends again. If you don't, I'll feed you to the fishes. Got it?"

Swanson narrowed her icy blue eyes at Annabeth but swallowed thickly.

"Understood," she gritted out. Annabeth's gaze never faltered from the woman's as she took a single step back. Swanson pushed herself to her feet and paused to smooth out the loose strands of hair that slipped from her bun. Without another word, without a single glance to Annabeth or the mermaids she stepped around, Swanson left.

As soon as her form disappeared from Annabeth's line of sight, she rushed to the fallen mermaids. She dropped her knees and immediately started ripping the nets to shreds with her dagger.

"Are you guys okay?" Worry had replaced the determination in her features. Cleo slowly uncurled herself. There were red marks over her body where the net touched her skin.

"Y-yeah…" she said quietly. "I'll...I'll be okay…"

"You don't look so hot, Cleo," Rikki pointed out, pulling the last of the net off herself. "I didn't get shocked. I mean...I did but it didn't hurt me. I saw the sparks flying but I felt nothing. It was the weirdest thing."

"It's probably your powers," Cleo suggested. "You can control electricity. Maybe you're immune to it too."

"Okay, Cleo, I'm not a Pokemon," Rikki teased. She helped the brunette to her feet while Annabeth watched them carefully with concerned eyes. Cleo was in pain, she could tell, but recovering. Rikki was virtually the same so there wasn't much worry there.

"Annabeth, you said they might have a cloud with all of our data?" Cleo asked. Annabeth nodded and her eyes drifted to the left. The room consisted of a ship's wheel and a large control panel behind it. The left wall, however, looked like a giant hard drive, decorated with dozens of little lights and buttons. She was positive this wall held every bit of information the L.A.I.U.S. Project had on this ship.

"Yeah, and I think it's all in here," Annabeth motioned to the wall. She then glanced at the control panel by the wheel. The control panel definitely controlled most of the ship but it also had to be connected to the computers and the cloud.

"How do we destroy the data?" Cleo questioned. Annabeth frowned.

"I don't know. I'd have to figure it out from here." Annabeth propped herself up against the control board and examined it thoroughly.

Rikki's lips curled into a smirk and there was something wicked twinkling in her eyes that unsettled Cleo. "Fortunately, destroying is my specialty. Step away, ladies."

"Wait, Rikki," Annabeth cut in. "You can't just-"

Rikki already had both hands out and channeled all the electricity in the room in both palms. Magic pumped through her veins like adrenaline as her fingers curled and the room responded to her will with electric sparks. The sparks got larger and louder. Rikki's hands were now fists and sparks flew wildly in every direction that forced Cleo and Annabeth to duck out of the way. The lights of the machines flickered off and smoke slipped out from them. The whole ship went eerily silent.

"Rikki!"

"What?"

"What did you do?" Annabeth demanded. "You shut down the whole yacht!"

"Right. And that's a bad thing because…?"

There was a loud, long groan. And it didn't come from any of the girls. Instead, it came from the ship itself; its source coming from the levels below where they stood. Annabeth and Cleo looked at Rikki while she looked away from them and examined her surroundings, all three straining to hear anything else.

" _That_ sounds like a bad thing," Cleo said. Rikki said nothing. They listened for more sounds but there was nothing.

And then, there was an explosion.

* * *

 **sorry for this less-than-stellar chapter. I tried my best and this time it really didn't work out as well as I wanted it to. But thanks anyway for reading :)**


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